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In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players, who take positions directly behind the line of scrimmage. The defensive backs, in turn, generally are classified into several different specialized positions:
- Safety
- Cornerbacks, which include
- Nickelbacks
- Dimebacks
- And on rare occasions, a Quarterback (not to be confused with the offensive player who throws the ball)
The group of defensive backs is known collectively as the secondary.
