203:. The nickelback is generally not considered a starting position because the starting formations for most defenses are either a 3-4 or a 4β3, in which only two cornerbacks and two safeties are utilized. Defensive formations with three or more cornerbacks (or three safeties) are used often enough that a nickelback will usually see moderate playing time (particularly in the modern, pass-oriented NFL) as well as subbing in for the starting corners. In certain packages (or if injuries depleted the depth chart), smaller free safeties or strong safeties can fill the spot of nickelback, as well. Their role may become that of a pass rusher from outside the box.
558:
25:
130:
192:, a defense may turn to a nickel defense for their base package on most plays. Usually extra defensive backs, such as a nickelback, are substituted into the defense in situations where the opposing offense is likely to attempt a
161:. A base defense consists of two cornerbacks and two safeties, making the nickelback the fifth defensive back on the field, thus tying the name of the position to the name of the North American
247:
599:
46:
184:
formation. However, some teams will replace a lineman rather than a linebacker, creating a three linemen, three linebacker and five defensive back alignment, a
240:
525:
531:
618:
233:
97:
69:
592:
439:
308:
150:
116:
76:
623:
83:
585:
50:
535:
520:
65:
443:
425:
417:
405:
215:
413:
321:
303:
296:
256:
162:
35:
505:
467:
393:
352:
316:
54:
39:
312:
497:
367:
185:
90:
225:
375:
356:
343:
133:
A nickel defense with three cornerbacks, lined up against an offense playing three wide receivers
565:
485:
463:
459:
409:
264:
260:
207:
138:
569:
330:
289:
277:
196:, such as 3rd-and-long, or when extra receivers are substituted into the opposing offense.
173:
513:
430:
281:
177:
158:
154:
557:
180:
would remain, alongside only two linebackers and now-five defensive backs, creating a
612:
481:
334:
189:
400:
389:
371:
193:
214:, where five defensive backs are considered the norm, the position is known as a
363:
348:
338:
326:
200:
24:
435:
381:
169:
146:
489:
129:
493:
451:
509:
421:
471:
181:
128:
229:
211:
18:
188:
formation. If an offensive team always uses three or more
199:
The nickelback is the third cornerback or safety on the
573:
168:Usually the nickelback will take the place of a
593:
241:
8:
53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
600:
586:
273:
248:
234:
226:
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
7:
554:
552:
51:adding citations to reliable sources
66:"Nickelback" American football
572:. You can help Knowledge (XXG) by
14:
556:
23:
172:, so if the team had been in a
1:
153:who serves as the additional
619:American football positions
640:
551:
16:American football position
519:
434:
429:
380:
362:
295:
293:
288:
286:
276:
271:
624:American football stubs
568:βrelated article is a
134:
132:
176:formation, the four
47:improve this article
357:Kickoff specialist
216:defensive halfback
135:
581:
580:
566:American football
546:
545:
541:
540:
529:
406:Halfback/Tailback
265:Canadian football
261:American football
208:Canadian football
178:defensive linemen
139:American football
127:
126:
119:
101:
631:
602:
595:
588:
560:
553:
523:
274:
250:
243:
236:
227:
122:
115:
111:
108:
102:
100:
59:
27:
19:
639:
638:
634:
633:
632:
630:
629:
628:
609:
608:
607:
606:
549:
547:
542:
267:
254:
224:
123:
112:
106:
103:
60:
58:
44:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
637:
635:
627:
626:
621:
611:
610:
605:
604:
597:
590:
582:
579:
578:
561:
544:
543:
539:
538:
517:
516:
503:
500:
479:
475:
474:
457:
454:
433:
428:
414:Change of pace
403:
397:
396:
387:
384:
379:
360:
359:
346:
341:
324:
319:
306:
300:
299:
294:
292:
287:
285:
282:Skill position
272:
269:
268:
255:
253:
252:
245:
238:
230:
223:
220:
190:wide receivers
159:nickel defense
155:defensive back
125:
124:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
636:
625:
622:
620:
617:
616:
614:
603:
598:
596:
591:
589:
584:
583:
577:
575:
571:
567:
562:
559:
555:
550:
537:
533:
527:
522:
518:
515:
511:
507:
504:
501:
499:
495:
491:
487:
483:
482:Wide receiver
480:
477:
476:
473:
469:
465:
464:Kick returner
461:
460:Punt returner
458:
455:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
432:
427:
423:
419:
415:
411:
410:Triple-threat
407:
404:
402:
401:Running backs
399:
398:
395:
391:
388:
385:
383:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
358:
354:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
325:
323:
320:
318:
314:
310:
307:
305:
302:
301:
298:
297:Special teams
291:
283:
279:
275:
270:
266:
262:
258:
251:
246:
244:
239:
237:
232:
231:
228:
221:
219:
217:
213:
209:
204:
202:
197:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
166:
164:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
131:
121:
118:
110:
107:December 2009
99:
96:
92:
89:
85:
82:
78:
75:
71:
68: β
67:
63:
62:Find sources:
56:
52:
48:
42:
41:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
574:expanding it
563:
548:
532:Nomenclature
447:
390:Long snapper
372:Game manager
205:
198:
194:forward pass
167:
163:5-cent piece
142:
136:
113:
104:
94:
87:
80:
73:
61:
45:Please help
33:
368:Dual-threat
364:Quarterback
349:Placekicker
339:Edge rusher
327:Nose tackle
201:depth chart
613:Categories
521:Formations
478:Receivers
456:Returning
448:Nickelback
436:Cornerback
382:Linebacker
222:References
170:linebacker
147:cornerback
143:nickelback
77:newspapers
502:Tackling
490:Tight end
386:Snapping
257:Positions
34:does not
536:Strategy
494:Slotback
486:Eligible
452:Dimeback
444:Halfback
426:Wingback
418:Fullback
514:Utility
344:Kicking
322:Linemen
304:Linemen
290:Defense
278:Offense
91:scholar
55:removed
40:sources
510:Upback
506:Gunner
468:Jammer
440:Safety
422:H-back
394:Holder
376:System
353:Punter
331:Tackle
317:Center
309:Tackle
151:safety
93:
86:
79:
72:
64:
564:This
472:Upman
431:Backs
313:Guard
186:3β3β5
182:4-2-5
157:in a
145:is a
98:JSTOR
84:books
570:stub
526:List
263:and
141:, a
70:news
38:any
36:cite
498:End
488:),
416:),
335:End
259:in
212:CFL
210:or
206:In
174:4β3
149:or
137:In
49:by
615::
534:β
530:β
512:,
508:,
496:,
492:,
470:,
466:,
462:,
450:,
446:,
442:,
438:,
424:,
420:,
412:,
392:,
378:)
374:,
370:,
355:,
351:,
337:,
333:,
329:,
315:,
311:,
284:)
218:.
165:.
601:e
594:t
587:v
576:.
528:)
524:(
484:(
408:(
366:(
280:(
249:e
242:t
235:v
120:)
114:(
109:)
105:(
95:Β·
88:Β·
81:Β·
74:Β·
57:.
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.