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Why NFL offenses are going under center more often in 2026

NFL offenses increasingly going under center in 2026

By · Published September 17, 2026  22:31 UTC · Updated September 17, 2026  22:31 UTC

5sources
5articles
3velocity
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The brief

⚡ Executive Intelligence Takeaways Corroborated across 5 independent newsrooms
  • Velocity & Diffusion: Coverage exploded across 5 distinct news outlets with 5 published articles, achieving a live velocity of 3.
  • Primary Driver: NFL offenses increasingly going under center in 2026
  • Source Integrity: Verified strictly against primary headline reporting under zero-hallucination protocols.

The trend of NFL offenses going under center in 2026 was first observed by FanSided, citing under-center dropbacks as the new trend. This shift was further emphasized by Sports Illustrated, which noted that the trend was hiding in plain sight as it swept the league in Week 1. The shift is attributed to teams such as the Chiefs, who are leading the trend, according to Yahoo Sports.

ESPN also reported on the trend, explaining why NFL offenses are going under center more often in 2026. The trend of going under center is significant, as it represents a shift away from the shotgun formation. The change is attributed to teams seeking to exploit defensive weaknesses and create more opportunities for their quarterbacks.

The current state of the trend is unclear, as there is no indication of whether the shift will continue or if teams will revert to the shotgun formation. However, the trend is notable, and teams are continuing to experiment with the under-center formation.

Synthesized by Archynetys from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: unsupported claims removed (89% supported) Updated 1h ago.

Quick answers

Why is the NFL going under center more often in 2026?

According to ESPN, the shift is attributed to teams seeking to exploit defensive weaknesses and create more opportunities for their quarterbacks.

Which teams are leading the trend?

According to Yahoo Sports, the Chiefs are leading the trend.

What is the significance of the trend?

The trend represents a shift away from the shotgun formation, with teams going under center 42.5% of the time.

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Topics

NFL sports 2026 offense under center

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