linebacker

gridiron football

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

A linebacker is a player on the defending team in American or Canadian football. They typically line up behind the defensive linemen. Linebackers are crucial for stopping the run, filling gaps, and defending against passes. The action or skill of playing as a linebacker is called linebacking. This position has been part of the game since at least 1931.1

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American football
Tactical developments
…became dominant (6 linemen, 2 linebackers, 2 cornerbacks, and 1 safety). In the NFL, to stop the increased passing that came with the T formation in the 1940s, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Greasy Neale developed the 5-3-2-1 defense, which was in turn replaced in the mid-1950s by the 4-3 (actually 4-3-2-2)…
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…became dominant (6 linemen, 2 linebackers, 2 cornerbacks, and 1 safety). In the NFL, to stop the increased passing that came with the T formation in the 1940s, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Greasy Neale developed the 5-3-2-1 defense, which was in turn replaced in the mid-1950s by the 4-3 (actually 4-3-2-2)…
Read More