As the NFL has embraced offense through rule changes and sophisticated schemes, playing cornerback has never been more challenging, and the craft has been overlooked as a result
You line up against your opponent. You must stop him, but he has an advantage. He knows where he wants to go and how he is going to get there—but you are reacting, tasked with getting there before he does. This is the existence of a cornerback every time they line up for a play. As the NFL has embraced offenses through new schemes, more offensive-minded head coaches, and various rule changes, it has never been harder to play cornerback.
I have long been fascinated by those that play cornerback. Partly because the old trope of “he couldn’t catch so now he plays cornerback” has become so commonplace and I am a bit of a contrarian in that way. When I watch the NFL, I often pay attention to the corners and marvel at the difficulties of their assignments in 2025. To better understand the challenges of the position, I spoke to former NFL CB Walter Thurmond III on the challenges of the position, the way football’s evolution has impacted it, and the mental toll of playing one of the most difficult positions in sports.
In the 1970s the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history—Mel Blount. Blount is in the Hall of Fame, made five Pro Bowls, was named an All-Pro twice, and was a part of four Super Bowl championship teams. He was also well-known for his physical style of play. So much so that the league enacted the Mel Blount Rule in 1978, which is better known today as “illegal contact downfield”.
Illegal contact downfield allowed cornerbacks to make physical contact with an eligible receiver up to five yards beyond the line of scrimmage before a pass is thrown. Any contact after five yards would result in a penalty. While the infraction was created, physical contact still won the day throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
In the mid 90s, the NFL implemented a variety of rules aimed at increasing the offensive output. It re-emphasized the Mel Blount rule in 1994, banned cornerbacks from pushing receivers out of bounds in 1995, and then continued the trend in the early 2000s by re-emphasizing pass interference and illegal contact rules.
The results of these rule changes were more points scored per game (from 18.3 in 1978 to 23.3 in 2025) and an increase in penalties called against the defense. When it comes to cornerbacks specifically, there have been increases in the frequency of defensive pass interference and illegal contact downfield penalties since 1980. Defensive pass interference was called 0.62 times per game in 1980, and that number has almost doubled to 1.11 times per game in 2024. Illegal contact was barely called in 1980 (0.13 times per game) and it nearly tripled to 0.33 calls per game in 2023.
Wide receivers are likely the second greatest beneficiaries of these rule changes next to quarterbacks. Their path to running their routes is less impeded, can frequently get away with hand fighting with cornerbacks, and have a freedom to roam in the middle of the field after defenseless receiver penalties were put into place to maximize player safety. These are all changes in good faith, but to a corner like Walter Thurmond, it rings hollow, who notes that “you cannot make a vicious game truly safe”.
The rule changes have led to more passing and more utility of receivers in shallow spaces that used to be unheard of. In the late 1970s, teams tended to average between 150-160 passing yards per game. Those numbers steadily increased, reaching over 240 yards per game in the late 2010s. The reality has become that cornerbacks are often placed in an impossible middle ground. If they play too physical, they are likely to be flagged. But if they play too passively, they can’t stop modern offenses. That balance of physicality is what makes the position especially difficult to play.
There are two types of cornerbacks that come to mind when we think about the position. The first is the outside corner, who is often tasked with covering the X and Z receivers that operate on the outside. These receivers are typically vertical threats, possessing tremendous physical advantages—ideal for high pointing passes in the vertical passing game down the sidelines. The second type of corner is a Nickel corner, who is tasked with covering slot receivers and tight ends. These corners cover the middle of the field, often operating from sideline to sideline.
The conventional wisdom is to think that the more challenging position is the outside corner, since that is where premier receivers like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase operate. But according to Thurmond, it is actually more difficult playing as a Nickel corner in the slot against the offenses of today. This is due to the fact that modern offenses often place their premier receivers in the slot. Let’s look at Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s route map from Week 16 against the Dolphins as an example.
Chase was targeted 11 times and finished with nine receptions and 109 yards. Like many offenses, the Bengals move him around from the slot to the outside to maximize on matchups against the defense. In this game, he truly only had one vertical route that went up the seam of the field. Everything else features space creating short passes or horizontal crossing routes from the slot position. These sorts of mechanics ensure a higher completion percentage and opportunities for yards gained after the catch.
This movement requires a lot from a cornerback. By placing a receiver like Chase in the slot, offenses create matchup issues for shorter corners trying to navigate the traffic of the middle of the field if they are in man and creates reaction difficulties for those that are playing zone coverage. The average depth of target this season for completed passes is 5.8 yards, which is slightly down from the 6.0 yards that was league average in 2018. This means that corners are having to react quicker because the passes are being released faster than they have in previous seasons.
This results in short bursts in a spacing game that means a miscalculated movement or jump the wrong way can easily turn into a touchdown with no chance for recovery. On top of that, offensive schemes in today’s NFL are predicated on horizontal manipulation through pre-snap motion, bunch formations, pick plays on screens, and run pass options designed to make cornerbacks over-commit to one threat while leaving the other open.
It is an ultimate test of discipline, according to Thurmond, as cornerbacks are tempted to freelance in coverage but that is when mistakes tend to happen the most. As more receivers entering the league are more adept route runners and quarterbacks are increasingly utilizing numerous arm angles to make throws, there is a lot on the plate for any CB that is dropping into coverage. This is where the craft of the position comes into play, and where many CBs fall into the trappings of the flashy play.
In 2021, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions. That number was tied for the 14th most all-time in a single season. As a result, Diggs was selected as a first-team All-Pro and made his first Pro Bowl. The interception numbers tell a bit of a deceiving story, however. He allowed a league-high 907 yards receiving and was in the bottom ten in yards allowed per completion at 16.8 yards. He also ranked 18th in completion percentage allowed on targets. So while Diggs got turnovers, his actual effectiveness in coverage was middling.
The issue with Diggs is not isolated to just him, but rather a loss of craft at the position according to Walter Thurmond III. We live in a culture of highlight plays. While excellent pass coverage will get praise in the moment, it’s not the play that will be clipped on TikTok and shared around the internet. There is a craft that comes with being an elite cornerback, involving a mix of technique, elite footwork, hand placement, and leverage over receivers.