The Cover 2 defence is a popular defensive strategy in American football, and it is characterized by two deep safeties splitting the deep part of the field into two halves. The primary objective of the Cover 2 defense is to prevent deep passes and limit big plays.

The Cover 2 defense gets its name from the two safeties who play deep over the top, serving as the last line of defense between the offense and the end zone. With seven players dropping back in coverage, the pressure on the offense is generated only by the defensive line, and blitzes are rare out of the Cover 2 formation.

In a Cover 2 coverage, the defense has “hard” corners, or corners that are not bailing at the snap of the ball. They are part of the 5 underneath players, whereas in a Cover 3 or 4, the corners are bailing to cover deeper routes. Those hard corners also help against the run, especially offenses that want to run to the perimeter or to the outside.