Sport‐related concussion has been implicated in long‐term neural degeneration and cognitive impairment. Thus, research efforts directed at elucidating as many risk factors as possible is valuable. Epidemiological studies have identified particular playing positions in American football that are at a heightened risk of sustaining concussions. The purpose of this study was to examine dynamic response and brain tissue deformation metrics from head injury reconstructions representing head impacts for football players in the linebacker, wide receiver and lineman positions. These events were reconstructed using pendulum and linear impactor apparatus and a Hybrid III headform. The University College Dublin Brain Trauma Model was used to measure the resulting brain tissue deformations as maximum principal strain (MPS). Peak linear acceleration, peak rotational acceleration and MPS all varied according to playing position. The injury reconstruction for the linebacker position reported the highest values for all measures, followed by head impacts for the wide receiver and the lineman. A relatively high probability of concussion for the linebacker head impact event was observed. In contrast, the associated concussion risk for the impact to the lineman was low, despite a high impact mass. These results show an important distinction in mechanisms and nature of trauma sustained as a result of American football head injuries based on the injury reconstructions for each player position.