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Rule of the Week: Mac and Jack Linebackers

April 15, 2016 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Los Angeles KISS News Release


In Arena Football, the Mac and Jack linebackers are two of the most important positions on the defensive side of the ball. Since these positions don't exist in outdoor football, many fans don't know the roles and can't differentiate the two positions. Although the positions sound similar and are often misunderstood, they have remarkably different jobs in defensive schemes around the AFL.

Prior to the snap, the Mac linebacker lines up on the guard side of the line of scrimmage, which is know as the 'strong side'. Mac linebackers can blitz the quarterback, however they are limited to the two 'A-gaps' (either side of the center). Only when the quarterback leaves the pocket can the Mac rush from the outside.

The Jack linebacker lines up on the same side as the tight end. Once the ball is snapped and until the ball leaves the quarterback's hand, the Jack can cover the entire field laterally from wall to wall, but is restricted to five yards downfield from the line of scrimmage. The only exception is the Jack can go beyond the five-yard boundary when covering a fullback or tight end on a pass route. If a Jack linebacker illegally leaves the boundary a 'Jack out of the Box' penalty will be enforced. A player's first offense of the game will result in a five-yard penalty. The second and third offenses will result on the player getting removed for the remainder of the half and game, respectively.

LA KISS Head Coach Omarr Smith weighed in on the differences between the Mac and the Jack.

"They are totally different positions," said Coach Smith. "The Mac is a pass rusher; I look for someone who has prior experience at defensive end."

Normally, a Mac linebacker is someone who was an inside linebacker or defensive end in the outdoor game. They need to be proficient in getting around the offensive linemen to put pressure on the quarterback.

"The Jack doesn't rush the quarterback so I look for a player who is a receiver or defensive back type player," explained Coach Smith. "They need to be athletic and have a high football IQ. Preferably, I look for someone who is tall so he can limit where the quarterback can throw certain balls."

Jack linebackers typically have experience at high agility positions, such as receivers and safeties in outdoor football. These players are required to not only have the agility to cover the whole width of the field, but also the ability to make game saving tackles.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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