To make a safe, effective football tackle, take a good angle to the ball carrier, close the distance under control, break down with short, choppy steps and your hips low, then make contact with your shoulder while keeping your head up and to the side, out of the contact. Wrap your arms around the ball carrier’s thighs or waist, grab cloth and drive your legs through the tackle to finish. Never lead with the crown of your helmet, which is dangerous and penalized at every level. Learn tackling in stages, starting with walk-throughs and bags before moving to live reps.
Why tackling technique matters
Tackling is the most important defensive skill in football, and it is also where many injuries happen. Poor technique, especially dropping the head or leading with the helmet, increases the risk of head and neck injuries for both players. Good technique keeps players safer and makes tackles more reliable, since missed tackles often come from lunging, poor angles or failing to wrap up. Many programs now teach shoulder-led, rugby-style tackling that keeps the head out of contact.
The tackling steps
| Step | Key point |
|---|---|
| Pursue | Take an angle to cut off the ball carrier rather than chasing |
| Break down | Short, choppy steps, knees bent, hips low, eyes up |
| Target | Aim near the thigh or midsection, keeping your head to the side |
| Contact | Shoulder first, head up and to the side, never the crown of the helmet |
| Wrap | Arms around the thighs or waist, grab cloth |
| Drive | Keep your legs moving to finish the tackle |
Step by step
1. Pursue with a good angle. Instead of running straight at where the ball carrier is, run to where he is going. The right angle depends on your speed relative to his and on help from teammates. A good angle often forces the ball carrier toward the sideline or toward other defenders.
2. Break down. As you get within a few yards, shorten your steps and lower your hips, keeping your feet active and your weight balanced. This lets you react if the ball carrier cuts. Many missed tackles happen when defenders arrive too fast and upright.
3. Target the right area. Aim for the thigh or midsection, which is the ball carrier’s center of mass and a more stable target than the head or shoulders. Keep your eyes up to see what you are hitting.
4. Make shoulder contact. Step with your near foot and strike with your near shoulder, keeping your head up and slid to the side so it stays out of the collision. Leading with the helmet, especially the crown, is illegal and greatly increases injury risk.
5. Wrap up. Shoot your arms around the ball carrier’s thighs or waist and grab cloth, clamping tightly. Arm tackles without a full wrap are easy to break.
6. Drive and finish. Keep your legs pumping with short, powerful steps and drive through the ball carrier. In many rugby-style techniques, the tackler rolls with the ball carrier to the ground while keeping the head out of contact.
Types of tackles
| Tackle | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Form tackle | Head-on, when you have time to square up |
| Angle tackle | When pursuing a ball carrier running across the field |
| Open-field tackle | In space, often breaking down and using the sideline |
| Gang tackle | Multiple defenders swarm to finish the play |
| Strip tackle | One defender secures the tackle while another attacks the ball |
Safety rules
- Never lead with your helmet. Spearing, targeting and leading with the crown are penalized and can cause serious injury.
- Keep your eyes up. Seeing what you hit keeps your head in a safer position.
- Avoid hits on defenseless players. Rules protect receivers, quarterbacks and others who cannot protect themselves.
- Avoid horse-collar tackles. Grabbing the inside of the shoulder pads or jersey collar from behind is a foul at most levels.
- Build up gradually. Progress from walk-throughs to bags to thud to live reps.
Rugby-style and shoulder tackling
In recent years, many football programs have adopted tackling methods influenced by rugby, which has long emphasized shoulder-led tackles because players do not wear helmets. The core ideas are to target the thigh area, lead with the near shoulder, keep the head behind or to the side of the ball carrier, wrap the legs tightly and roll to the ground. These methods aim to reduce head contact while still bringing down ball carriers reliably. Organizations such as USA Football have also promoted shoulder-based tackling curricula for youth and high school coaches. Coaches should follow the method their program teaches and focus on consistent, safe execution.
Team pursuit and gang tackling
Individual technique is only part of good tackling. Defenses that pursue as a unit, with every player taking the correct angle to the ball, limit yards after contact and prevent big plays. When the first defender slows the ball carrier, teammates should arrive quickly to help finish the play. Coaches often grade pursuit effort on film and emphasize that every defender should run to the ball on every snap.
Tackling drills
- Fit and freeze. Walk into the correct contact position and hold it while a coach checks form.
- Bag tackles. Practice full-speed shoulder tackles on bags or tackling dummies.
- Tackle rings. Chase and tackle rolling rings to practice pursuit angles and wrapping.
- Angle tackling lanes. Tackle a ball carrier in a narrow lane at controlled speed.
- Open-field drills. Practice breaking down in space using cones and a partner, often at thud tempo.
Tackling in the open field
Open-field tackles are among the hardest in football because the ball carrier has room to cut. Use the sideline as an extra defender by taking an inside-out angle, and break down early. Stay square with your feet under you, and do not lunge. If you cannot make the tackle cleanly, slowing the ball carrier until help arrives is better than a missed dive. Communicate with teammates so everyone knows their leverage responsibility.
Physical preparation for tackling
Strong legs, hips and core help tacklers stay low, absorb contact and drive through the ball carrier. Neck strengthening exercises are commonly included in football programs as part of overall preparation. Agility and footwork drills improve the ability to break down and change direction.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the head or leading with the helmet.
- Lunging or diving instead of breaking down.
- Taking poor angles and overrunning the ball carrier.
- Arm tackling without wrapping up.
- Standing upright at contact.
- Stopping the feet on contact instead of driving through.
Rulebook note: rules on targeting, spearing, horse-collar tackles and hits on defenseless players differ between the NFL, NCAA and NFHS. Check the current rulebook for your level.
Health note: tackling carries a risk of injury, including concussion. Use certified, properly fitted equipment, learn safe technique from qualified coaches and report any symptoms of head injury immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Where should you aim when tackling?
At the thighs or midsection, with your head up and to the side.
What is targeting in football?
Forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless player, or leading with the crown of the helmet, which is penalized.
How do you tackle a bigger player?
Get low, target the thighs, wrap tightly and drive your legs, using leverage rather than size.
