SEO Title: NFL Teams Turn to Under-Center Formations as Shotgun Usage Falls
SEO Description: The Commanders, Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, Giants and Raiders are using more under-center snaps, raising questions about whether the NFL’s shotgun-heavy era is beginning to shift.
A growing group of NFL offenses is putting quarterbacks under center more often, moving away from the shotgun-heavy approach that has defined much of the modern passing game. The Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are among the teams increasing their use of traditional under-center alignments.
More NFL offenses are leaving the shotgun
Shotgun formations remain a central part of the league’s offensive landscape, particularly for teams built around spread concepts, quick-game throws and quarterback mobility. But several clubs have begun to incorporate more snaps with the quarterback lined up directly behind the center.
- The Commanders are among the teams using under-center formations more frequently.
- The Eagles have also increased their under-center usage.
- The Ravens, Chiefs, Giants and Raiders are part of the same shift.
- The change has come as those teams use shotgun formations less often.
Why the alignment can matter
Under-center looks can give offenses a different rhythm before the snap and create a broader menu of run-action possibilities. With the quarterback closer to the line of scrimmage, offenses can more naturally build play-action passes, bootlegs and downhill rushing concepts into the same personnel packages.
The formation can also force defenses to prepare for a wider range of plays, especially when an offense can threaten both the run and the pass without making a major substitution.
Will the trend last?
The movement does not mean the shotgun is disappearing. NFL teams still rely heavily on shotgun alignments for passing situations, two-minute drives and packages designed to give quarterbacks a clearer pre-snap view of coverage.
Still, the increased under-center usage by several prominent teams suggests that coaches are looking for answers beyond the league’s most common offensive templates. Whether the shift becomes a lasting NFL trend will depend on how effectively these offenses convert the added formation variety into sustained production.
