The definition of "athlete" as it is used in this article is most popular in college football. There are a variety of set positions (jobs) in football and each

The definition of "athlete" as it is used in this article is most popular in college football. There are a variety of set positions (jobs) in football and each player generally only plays one or two positions. The term athlete is used to describe a player who doesn't have one particular set position. This is either because of their versatility or a lack of any specific specialized skill. More often than not, a player will be labeled an athlete as they enter college but will quickly be assigned a position in order for him to focus his training. The idea is that athletes are rawer, more malleable, more flexible, but riskier and generally less skilled (therefore probably cheaper) employees when compared to true specialists. This makes them good hires for startups. The article could have benefited from actually saying this.