A "cover corner" is a term used in American football to describe a cornerback who excels at covering receivers and either intercepting or deflecting balls thrown their way or sticking to the receiver so closely that the quarterback chooses not to pass in that direction. A cornerback who is similarly skilled also is called a "shutdown corner" or a "lockdown corner."
Cornerback's Responsibility
The cornerback is one of the defensive backs, along with the safety. There usually are two cornerbacks, and they line up at opposite ends of the defense, or wherever the wide receivers are lined up. Sometimes a cornerback will line up close to the line of scrimmage and block the receiver before he can start running his route. This is called "bump-and-run" coverage. At other times, cornerbacks will line up a few yards off the line of scrimmage to pick up the receiver as he starts to run his pattern. Cornerbacks must be strong enough to handle contact at the line of scrimmage and fast enough to keep up with speedy receivers.
Cornerbacks in the Cover 2
A cornerback's primary job is to cover the receiver, so in a way, a "cover corner" is a bit redundant. The term came into use in the 1990s when pro and college teams started getting more creative with defensive schemes and formations, such as the Cover 2. Former Buccaneers and Colts coach Tony Dungy helped popularize the defense, which essentially divides the field into two halves. Each half is defended by a cornerback near the line of scrimmage and a safety to defend against long passes or if an offensive player breaks into the open field. A cornerback's job in this defense is to disrupt the receiver and keep him from running a precise route, and to stay close to him always, forcing the quarterback to make perfect passes.
Cornerback Blitzes
Occasionally, to surprise the offense, a traditional cover corner will be sent on a quarterback blitz. The strategy's goal is to result in either taking a lineman or blocking back away from his original target, thus freeing up that defender to rush the quarterback, or, ideally, for the cornerback to get past any blockers and sack the quarterback. However, a corner blitz also can leave an opposing receiver open. To counter that, a defense might start the play with a fifth defensive back -- a formation known as a "nickel" package -- with that extra defensive back becoming responsible for covering the receiver abandoned by the blitzing corner.
Famous Cover Corners
Among the greatest cover corners in football history are NFL Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Steeler great Rod Woodson, who had 71 interceptions in his career and set a record with 1,483 interception return yards, and Deion Sanders, who also was a standout kick returner and punt returner for the Dallas Cowboys, among other teams. Other top cover corners in modern football include the New York Jets' Darrelle Revis, Denver Bronco Champ Bailey and Antonio Cromartie of the Jets and the San Diego Chargers. Such players can change the course of a game by covering the opponent's best receiver so well that he is unable to help his team score or even progress down the field.
Backhanded Compliment
The phrase "cover corner" sometimes is jokingly interpreted to mean a cornerback who can't tackle well. In other words, he can defend against the pass but can't wrap up and bring down a receiver who already has caught the ball. This isn't always the case, but when an expert calls a player an excellent "cover corner," watch that player and see if he's skilled at tackling or if he tries to push players out of bounds rather than wrap them up or deliver hard hits. For example, while Deion Sanders was considered a great cornerback, he frequently was criticized for shying away from tackling duties.
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