What is a 'nickel package'?

What is a 'nickel package'?

Darrin Chiaverini (Football Coach and Professional Athlete) gives expert video advice on: What are the different defensive formations?; What is a '3-4' defense?; What is a '4-3' defense? and more...

A 'nickel package', and you hear it a lot on TV, the 4-3 nickel. Basically they take a linebacker out and put a extra defensive back in to cover a team that's a very good passing team.