Difference Between a Cornerback and a Safety (with Video)

The cornerback and safety positions in football have many things in common, especially when it comes to their roles on the football field and the things they must do as members of the defense:

• Both cornerbacks and safeties are considered members of the defensive secondary and both are called defensive backs
• The primary responsibility of both positions is to disrupt the opponent's passing game by reading the QB’s eyes and staying close to receivers
• Cornerbacks and safeties must be able to tackle a running back, quarterback, or any ball carrier that makes it past the defensive line and linebackers on a run play as the last line of defense

Despite several similarities between the two football positions, they are not interchangeable, and players will often be a better fit for one over the other.

The Cornerback's Role

The cornerback is a vital defensive position in the passing game. In most plays, a cornerback begins the play in pass coverage on a single receiver. The two main types of pass coverage are man-to-man coverage and "zone" coverage , and cornerbacks switch frequently between the two depending on what kind of scheme or strategy the defensive coordinator calls for.

• If the cornerback's assignment is "man-to-man" coverage, the player will match up with and cover this receiver through the length of the play no matter what
• If the cornerback is assigned zone coverage, he will cover a zone of the field rather than a specific receiver

On the vast majority of plays, a cornerback will start the play close to the line of scrimmage not deep in the defensive backfield like a safety, usually directly in front of the offensive player he is covering.

The Safety's Role

Safeties are very important football players for a defensive. Most defenses designate a free safety and a strong safety. Strong safeties generally play closer to the line of scrimmage (usually alongside or just behind the strong side or weak side linebackers) and are key players in run support. They can sometimes be used to blitz or play man coverage against a tight end.

Free safeties will generally play further back and, depending on the play, provide over-the-top insurance on long passing plays towards the end zone. Most will play a "zone" coverage role in the middle area of the field and it is rare to see a free safety play near a sideline. Strong safeties can also cover receivers, though preferably it will be a tight end or running back on the opposing team, and not a swifter wide receiver.

Physical Types

Cornerbacks and safeties are often considered to be some of the most athletic players on a football team due to the high level of speed, physicality, and endurance required to play the positions. Some physical characteristics and capabilities may differ based on the different responsibilities that each position has, making some players more fitting in one position as opposed to the other.

Some physical tools required to play the cornerback position include the following:

‌1. Speed:‌ Speed is incredibly important for the cornerback position because above all else, they must keep up with the receiver they are covering on each play. This is especially true on deep passes. The level of speed that is required to play the cornerback position often comes at the expense of size, hence why many cornerbacks are among the smaller players on the football field at all times.

‌2. Quickness:‌ Quickness is pretty similar to speed on a basic dictionary level, but in the game of football, quickness means a cornerback's ability to react to the quarterback throwing the ball in a matter of milliseconds. Reacting to the throw can often look like a change in direction, change of speed, or complete switch of the hips from facing one side of the field to the other when the ball is thrown.

Free safeties are able to sacrifice some speed for size and strength. Most are not expected to match a receiver step for step like a corner is, but they are expected to be able to tackle running backs and tight ends in the open field. Strong safeties are usually even larger since they are more likely to encounter blockers.

The Mental Side

Mental and personality differences can help distinguish which secondary position is best for a player:

• A cornerback is typically a coverage specialist, with a highly focused psyche and the ability to react quickly
• Cornerbacks frequently play a receiver one-on-one, or on an "island" away from the rest of the defense, and they have to be mentally capable of handling that pressure

In contrast, safeties play in the middle of the field and some serve as captains who call plays and adjustments for the whole defense. Safeties must be able to see the whole field beyond their own personal assignment. For that reason, the safety is often called the quarterback of the defense.

Greatest Cornerbacks of All Time

‌1. Rod Woodson‌

• Career Stats: 1,049 tackles, 71 interceptions, 17 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 6x First Team All-Pro, 11x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
  

After playing running back, wide receiver, cornerback and safety for the Purdue Boilermakers, Rod Woodson settled into the cornerback position with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 17-year NFL vet is the only player in NFL history to be named to the Pro Bowl in different years in three different positions, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 following one of the greatest careers American football has ever seen.

‌2. Deion Sanders‌

• Career Stats: 54 interceptions, 22 total touchdowns, 60 receptions, 784 receiving yards
  
• Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 6x First Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

‘Prime Time’ remains one of the most recognizable figures in sports to this day, showing just how special of a player and a person he was during his 16-year NFL career. Sanders’ rare exceptional athletic abilities allowed him to lock up any receiver that lined up in front of him, all the while having a successful 9-year MLB career going on the side.

‌3. Mel Blount‌

• Career Stats: 57 interceptions, 736 int. return yards, 13 fumble recoveries
  
• Accolades: 4x Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2x First Team All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Mel Blount was one of, if not the, biggest and most physical cornerbacks to ever play the game of football. He was so physical, in fact, that the league had to change its rules and how the position was played as a whole in what is often referred to as the Mel Blount Rule. “I think any time a player can have such an effect on the game that they name a rule after you,” Blount said, “I think it’s an honor.”

‌4. Richard "Night Train" Lane‌

• Career Stats: 157 games, 68 interceptions, 1,207 int. return yards, 6 total touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 7x First Team All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, NFL 50th Anniversary Team, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Dick “Night Train” Lane was a community college standout and Army veteran before he finally got a chance in the NFL. His exceptional speed, reflexes, and physicality instantly made him one of the best cornerbacks in the league, totaling 14 interceptions in 12 games as a rookie on his way to a 14-year Hall of Fame career.

‌5. Charles Woodson‌

• Career Stats: 1,105 tackles, 20.0 sacks, 65 interceptions, 730 int. return yards, 33 forced fumbles, 13 defensive touchdowns, 155 passes deflected
  
• Accolades: Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 4x First Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, 2x NFL interceptions leader
  

Charles Woodson is one of only two players (Marcus Allen) to win a Heisman Trophy, AP Rookie of the Year Award, AP Player of the Year Award, and win a Super Bowl in his career. The Hall of Famer retired as the only player in NFL history with at least 60 interceptions and 20 sacks throughout their career, showing just how versatile and special he was on the field.

‌6. Mike Haynes‌

• Career Stats: 46 interceptions, 688 int. return yards, 5 total touchdowns
  
• Accolades: Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, 2x First Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

After an incredible career at Arizona State, Mike Haynes set the NFL on fire with 8 interceptions and an AFC-leading 608 yards on 45 punt returns in his rookie year with the New England Patriots. After seven outstanding years with the team, he moved on to the Los Angeles Raiders, where he picked off Joe Theismann in the Super Bowl on the way to the Raiders’ Super Bowl XVIII victory.

‌7. Darrelle Revis‌

• Career Stats: 497 tackles, 29 interceptions, 2.0 sacks, 730 int. return yards, 6 forced fumbles, 139 pass deflections, 3 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: Super Bowl Champion, 4x First Team All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
  

Darrelle Revis built up such a reputation as a cornerback that quarterbacks would avoid throwing the ball to his side of the field all together. Throughout his career, Revis locked down receivers like Randy Moss, Terrell Owns, Chad Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Reggie Wayne, and hundreds more, earning his side of the field the nickname “Revis Island”- a place that no receiver wanted to be.

‌8. Champ Bailey‌

• Career Stats: 908 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 52 interceptions, 203 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles
  
• Accolades: 3x First Team All-Pro, 12x Pro Bowl, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
  

Champ Bailey was considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league in each of his 15 seasons in the NFL, earning him a spot as one of the ten greatest cornerbacks to ever play the game. His 203 passes defended is the most in NFL history, and his 2009 season in which he did not allow a single touchdown in 80 targets is one of the best seasons for any defensive player in league history.

‌9. Darrell Green‌

• Career Stats: 1,159 tackles, 54 interceptions, 6 total touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion, NFL Man of the Year, 4x First Team All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Darrell Green’s career spanned a remarkable 20 seasons, holding the records for most games played by a defensive player (295) and most seasons in a row with an interception (19). In addition to several great regular seasons, Green also totaled two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the postseason.

‌10. Ty Law‌

• Career Stats: 838 tackles, 169 pass deflections, 53 interceptions, 7 defensive touchdowns, 5.0 sacks
  
• Accolades: 3x Super Bowl Champion, 2x First Team All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl, 2x NFL interceptions leader, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
  

Ty Law had an incredible career from start to finish, but he is best known for his exceptional play in the playoffs, which included an interception off of Kurt Warner and three off of Peyton Manning in the 2003 AFC Championship Game. The Hall of Famer lead the league in interceptions twice in his 15-year NFL career.

Greatest Safeties of All Time

‌1. Ronnie Lott‌

• Career Stats: 1,146 tackles, 63 interceptions, 730 int. return yards, 16 forced fumbles
  
• Accolades: 4x Super Bowl Champion, 8x First Team All-Pro, 10x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

In his rookie season, Ronnie Lott helped lead the 49ers to win Super Bowl XVI by becoming only the second rookie in NFL history to record 3 interceptions for touchdowns. Arguably Lotts’ best season was in 1986, when he totaled a league-leading 10 interceptions, 77 tackles, three forced fumbles and two sacks in just 14 games, missing the last two due to injury.

‌2. Ed Reed‌

• Career Stats: 643 tackles, 73 interceptions, 1,590 int. return yards (NFL record), 11 forced fumbles
  
• Accolades: Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 5x First Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

One of the most dominant defensive players in the modern era, Ed Reed’s impact was felt immediately in his rookie season by leading the Ravens in interceptions with five, a stat he would lead the organization in for seven of his 11 years with the team. One of Reed’s most memorable performances came in one of the biggest games of his career, when he totaled five tackles, one pass defended, and one interception in a 34-31 Super Bowl XLVII victory over the 49ers.

‌3. Brian Dawkins‌

• Career Stats: 1,147 tackles, 37 interceptions, 26.0 sacks, 36 forced fumbles
  
• Accolades: 4x First Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
  

Brian Dawkins’ remarkable career is highlighted by being a member of the Exclusive NFL Defensive Club, meaning that he recorded at least 35 career interceptions and 20 career sacks in the 16 seasons that he played.

‌4. Paul Krause‌

• Career Stats: 81 interceptions (NFL record), 1,185 int. return yards, 6 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 3x First Team All-Pro, 4x Second Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl
  

As a rookie, Paul Krause lead the NFL in interceptions (12) and was named to the All-NFL first team. From there, Krause would continue on to become the NFL’s all-time leader in career interceptions with 81, and miss only two games due to injury in his remarkable 16–year NFL career.

‌5. Emlen Tunnell‌

• Career Stats: 79 interceptions, 1,282 int. return yards, 2,209 punt return yards
  
• Accolades: 2x NFL Champion, 6x First Team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, NFL 50th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Emlen Tunnell is not only remembered as being one of the most dominant safeties to ever play football, but he was also a monumental figure as the New York Giants’ first African American player, as well as the first African American to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

‌6. Troy Polamalu‌

• Career Stats: 783 tackles, 32 interceptions, 12 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, 107 pass deflections, 5 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 4x First Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl
  

Troy Polamalu is another modern-day NFL legend who played a huge role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl victories in the early 2000s. One of his most memorable highlights was a 40-yard pick six late in the 2008 AFC Championship, a win that would move the Steelers one step closer to winning Super Bowl XLIII.

‌7. Steve Atwater‌

• Career Stats: 1,180 tackles, 24 interceptions, 408 int. return yards, 5 sacks
  
• Accolades: 2x Super Bowl Champion, 2x First Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
  

Making an immediate impact on the Broncos’ defense in his rookie year, Steve Atwater was a huge part of the team going from 20th in points allowed the previous year to 1st in points allowed. The Broncos’ Atwater-lead defenses would propel them to two Super Bowl titles during his outstanding 11-year NFL career.

‌8. Larry Wilson‌

• Career Stats: 52 interceptions, 800 int. return yards, 5 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 6x First Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Larry Wilson was among the players that opposing offenses greatly disliked competing against the most during his 13-year NFL career simply because he was all over the field at all times. At one point during the 1966 season, Wilson recorded an interception in seven straight games while on his way to leading the league with 10 total on the year.

‌9. Willie Wood‌

• Career Stats: 48 interceptions, 699 int. return yards, 2 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 5x NFL Champion, 2x Super Bowl Champion, 5x First Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
  

Willie Wood was the cornerstone of a dominant Packers defense that won several Championships in the 1960s, finishing his career with an incredible 48 interceptions while also being one of the best punt returners in the league year after year.

‌10. Ken Houston‌

• Career Stats: 49 interceptions, 898 int. return yards, 21 fumbles recovered, 12 defensive touchdowns
  
• Accolades: 2x First Team All-Pro, 10x Second Team All-Pro, 12x Pro Bowl, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
  

Ken Houston found just about every possible way for a defensive player to score a touchdown in his 14-year NFL career. He totaled 49 career interceptions and returned nine of them for touchdowns, and also recorded a touchdown from a punt return, fumble return, and blocker field goal return in his career.