It’s rare to see a significant shift in NFL trends during a single season that echoes throughout the league’s draft strategy, but Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay’s sudden adoption of a 13-player lineup mid-way through the 2025 season seems to have done just that.
In the previous season, the Rams logged the highest number of snaps using a 13-player setup, featuring one running back, three tight ends, and one receiver—tallying up to 331 snaps, while the Pittsburgh Steelers were a distant second with just 140. The difference is striking, especially considering that McVay hadn’t run a single play in this configuration until Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens. That day, after receiving some bad news about receiver Puka Nacua’s ankle injury early in the game, McVay called eight plays with 13 personnel, all of which were running plays, contributing to a 17-3 victory.
The following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, McVay really started to work in the 13-player personnel setup, which appeared to have been a brewing idea for a while. Matthew Stafford connected on 6 of 9 passes for 59 yards and three touchdowns in this formation. This marked the start of an impressive run. By season’s end, Stafford had completed 99 of 145 passes using the 13-player group for 1,261 yards, which included an astonishing 22 touchdowns with no interceptions, netting an impressive passer rating of 134.8. For context, Aaron Rodgers and Jacoby Brissett were tied for second place with only 13 touchdown passes each.
Naturally, other teams took notice during the 2026 draft, with the trend of tight ends rising sharply, reflecting the influence of McVay’s strategy. Indeed, 22 tight ends were selected in this draft cycle—the most since 2002, which saw 23 chosen, contrasting sharply with the 16 taken the previous year.
Now, why does 13-personnel work against today’s defenses? That’s a more in-depth topic, but in brief, teams employing a heavier personnel configuration like this are often more successful in outsmarting defenses at the last minute. Plus, this setup doesn’t lean too heavily toward passing or running, which makes it even trickier to defend against.
The Rams have perfectly executed this strategy, and other teams are eagerly preparing to follow suit.
How Will Each Team Embrace 13?
In the draft, the New York Jets selected Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq with the 16th overall pick, sparking what could be a significant offensive evolution for them. Sadiq was the consensus top tight end in the draft and was stepping into a timely situation—given that the 2025 Jets weren’t exactly rich in tight-end depth, having run a mere 172 snaps with 12 players last season, ranking 24th in the league, and they hardly utilized a 13-player look.
Head coach Aaron Glenn commented on Sadiq’s addition, recognizing him as a valuable offensive weapon. The team felt confident that inserting him into their lineup could provide defensive complexities they lacked before.
While moving from 12 to 13 players might not sound monumental with existing tight ends like Mason Taylor and Jeremy Ruckert already on the roster, Sadiq’s potential—especially in the red zone—certainly provides reason for optimism.
The Philadelphia Eagles also plan to integrate multiple tight-end sets into their strategy under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, particularly following a lackluster offensive performance previously. They made the move to draft Eli Stowers from Vanderbilt University with the 54th overall pick, signaling their intent to adapt. Stowers had an impressive college season, making his athletic profile a strong fit for the team, creating mismatches on various downs.
As for the Jaguars, they chose Texas A&M tight end Nate Verkicher with the 56th pick, which raised eyebrows because it strayed from the conventional consensus rankings. Though some might have questioned the choice, general manager James Gladstone expressed confidence, emphasizing a trend towards heavier tight-end utilization in the league.
The Chicago Bears are also looking to refine their tight-end lineup, recently selecting Stanford’s Sam Rausch with the 69th pick. With their already established tight ends, adding Rausch whom they view as a solid contributor should bolster their potential to make better plays on the field.
This evolving emphasis on tight-end depth may become a defining characteristic of the league moving forward. As teams adapt to this changing landscape, it looks likely that McVay’s strategy will increasingly influence the way offenses are built.
While it remains to be seen how this 13-man trend will impact the NFL in 2026, it’s clear that the Rams don’t stand alone in their approach anymore.
