In football, man-to-man coverage is a defensive strategy where each defensive player is assigned to cover a specific offensive player. The defenders are responsible for staying with their assigned offensive player throughout the play, attempting to prevent them from catching a pass or gaining yardage.

Man-to-man coverage (also shortened to man coverage) in football is a defensive coverage strategy where defensive players are assigned to defend against individual offensive players. Typical man coverage assignments might see defensive backs paired against the wide receivers, while the linebackers are matched against tight ends and running backs.

Man coverage, or man-to-man coverage, is a style of defense that is common in football. A defensive player is lined up to guard each receiver, tight end, and running back in man-to-man coverage.

With man to man coverage, every defensive player is assigned an offensive player to cover. The defender will follow the offensive player they’re assigned to anywhere on the field.

To effectively utilize this type of defense, the pass coverage system must be proficient in man-to-man coverage. The ability to play cover 1 and cover 0 allows the defensive line and linebackers a great deal of freedom to find numerous ways to pressure the quarterback and stop the run by outnumbering the offense at or near the line of scrimmage.