NFL:
- How modern football has transformed the linebacker position (PFF) - There used to be three of them on the football field at all times: the Sam, the Mike and the Will. Now, the Sam has been replaced by his smaller and faster cousin, the Nickel. As offenses have spread out and used lighter and lighter sets, the need for three bulky, Terry Tate-type linebackers on the field at the same time has diminished. In 2020, only one-quarter of all defensive snaps were played with three linebackers on the field. That is the lowest rate in any of the 15 years of PFF data.