(American football) The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes.
Used in a Sentence
linebacker
Definition, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for linebacker.
Editorial note
A linebacker in a Cover-2 based defense is probably lighter/faster vs a larger linebacker used in a 3-4 defense.
Examples16
Definitions1
Parts of speech1
Quick take
(American football) The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of linebacker gathered in one view.
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for linebacker.
noun
(American football) The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes.
Example sentences
A linebacker in a Cover-2 based defense is probably lighter/faster vs a larger linebacker used in a 3-4 defense.
It's the equivalent of Peyton Manning being asked to evaluate a linebacker, and demanding that the linebacker throw passes downfield.
You'll watch a single linebacker's edge rushing butcher an offense's passing game and the offense scrambling to figure out anything to slow him down.
He played linebacker in American Football and was consider a decent athlete.
Beeing a defensive end / outside linebacker I can say that the bigger positions don't really translate to flag football.
You can also workout with out increasing the chances of getting shredded by an outsider linebacker or a cut block or 90 mph fastball.
So they may not build up as much speed, compared to a situation such as a linebacker with a running start towards a running back.
I mean, if I were an exceptionally speedy, brick-wall linebacker, I wouldn't get kicked out for causing extra concussions, I'd be given trophies and expensive contracts.
The middle linebacker does the same thing on defense.
I am an above average sized former linebacker and I felt genuinely unsafe almost every time I went out at night in SF and was walking around.
I'm pretty sure that I would die during the first play from scrimmage if I suited up and tried to stand in for a middle linebacker in the NFL.
In my head I'm comparing it to something like: If a 250 lb NFL linebacker tackled me at full speed I am pretty sure I would break multiple bones.
Quote examples
It's sort of like the high school star linebacker calling the 100lb nerd "big guy".
But if you're born small and skinny and grow up to be 5'5" you're probably not going to be an NFL linebacker.
A great comment on this from Jets linebacker Bart Scott back in 2012, "“I don’t want my son to play football,...
Just remember, for every child you refer to as a burger flipper - X probability will have fathers standing 6' 2", weighing 240 and a former linebacker.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use linebacker in a sentence?
A linebacker in a Cover-2 based defense is probably lighter/faster vs a larger linebacker used in a 3-4 defense.
What does linebacker mean?
(American football) The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes.
What part of speech is linebacker?
linebacker is commonly used as noun.