No run, no fun. In 2024, the best offenses in the league run the ball. This statement might sound like it’s coming from the ’90s, but with how defenses are prioritizing stopping explosive pass plays, living through the air is a hard way to live. However, the best offenses aren’t just lining up in an I-formation and calling iso and power over and over again. To be a good running team, you have to be creative and deceptive. Offensive coaches are looking for ideas anywhere, and multiple teams have turned to one of the original offensive systems: the Wing T.

The Wing T is a three-back offense. The original formation has two backs in the backfield and a wing lined up outside and behind the tight end. The wing serves as a third back who goes in motion to receive handoffs or fake like he’s getting a handoff. Though the formation and plays can vary from iteration to iteration, the core principles are deception, sleight of hand and speed. The goal is to displace linebackers with motions and fakes and quickly hit the defense with runs away from the fake.

The Arizona Cardinals are bludgeoning defenses with an offense that resembles a single-wing offense, which is the original offense the Wing T evolved from. Mike McDaniels’ Miami Dolphins offense ranked first in yards per carry (5.1) last season by integrating Wing T principles, ideas and plays. Matt LaFleur won games with his starting quarterback hurt by transforming the Green Bay Packers offense into a modern Wing T offense. Some of the league’s top play callers — Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Ben Johnson, and Kyle Shanahan — have sprinkled Wing T concepts into their play sheets for years. Today, we’re seeing Wing T plays all over the league.

Why is the Wing T making its way into the NFL?

The prominence of the jet sweep — in which a receiver goes into a motion and gets a direct handoff running to the perimeter — comes directly from the Wing T. During Jim Harbaugh’s first stint as the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers, he started running wide receivers fly sweeps for Ted Ginn Jr. Harbaugh credited Sacred Heart Prep’s Pete Lavorato with teaching him the fly sweep after Harbaugh attended a clinic on Lavorato’s offense, a version of the Wing T.

A Jet(tas) sweep for the lead!@JJettas2 | @Vikings

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Now, every team has the jet sweep in its offense. The play keeps defensive ends honest. Faking the jet sweep to receivers, then handing off the ball or tossing it to running backs displaces linebackers. The misdirection gets them looking and leaning the wrong way, which is one of the core features of every Wing T offense.

16th TD on the season for Raheem Mostert!

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Wide receivers as runners and run game diversity

Dan Casey built his reputation by posting interesting plays on social media. He now consults for NFL teams, helping them add new ideas to their playbooks.

“There’s just a greater need for run game diversity and being able to get multiple guys touches,” Casey explained. “I think the days of being able to just line up in single back and run wide zone are over. Defenses just gobble that up.”

Casey talked about what Liam Coen is doing with their two-back sets, using Rachaad White and Bucky Irving at the same time. Neither back specializes in lead blocking, so you can’t just have one of them block for the other one. You have to find ways to stress defenses to create an advantage for whoever the ball carrier is. Wing T plays help you do that.

Shanahan started using Deebo Samuel as a runner years ago in the 49ers’ Deadpool package. That has stressed defenses because they have to treat him as a wide receiver and trot out their nickel (five defensive backs) personnel when Samuel is part of a three-receiver set, but San Francisco can still run two-back plays when he’s on the field.

“You just switch some guys up, and whatever runs look good versus fronts you are going against,” Shanahan explained.

“In just the conversations I’ve had with a lot of NFL guys … obviously, you have your running back, and then every team wants a receiver that they can hand the ball off to. Not just on sweeps, but on inside handoffs as well,” Casey said.

In the above clip, the Detroit Lions are running a direct rip-off out of the Wing T playbook: a staple concept called a “Sally” variant. On the play, there needs to be an outside-run-fake element with a handoff to a player in front of the quarterback, typically with pulling linemen either trap blocking or lead blocking. The Lions ran it with Jared Goff faking a pitch to the running back before handing it off to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in front of him, with the center and tackle lead blocking for him. Sally is the most prominent Wing T play you’ll see across the NFL on Sundays.

Giving defenses new looks and adding layers to plays

“Defenses have gotten really good at fitting this, the basic version of run plays,” Casey said. “So you do have to change the math or change the fit somehow. The nice thing about these Wing T concepts is there’s not a paradigm for defenses fitting it. It’s not like they’re seeing it every day in practice. So when I talk to NFL guys, a lot of times they’re like, ‘I just kind of need something that people haven’t really seen much of because once they see it and rep it, they can kind of squash it.’”

Of course, running a basic inside zone play will still work if you block it right, but defenses have seen it so many times that they can instinctually play it and get to the right places. Whether they can hold their ground, shed blocks and make tackles is a different story, but just getting defenses to second-guess where they need to be or where their run fit is gives the offense an advantage. That’s where these Wing T backfield actions come into play.

In this clip, the Kansas City Chiefs are simply running an inside zone play. Still, before Patrick Mahomes handed off the ball to the running back, he turned his back to the defense to fake a reverse to a wide receiver before completing his spin and getting back in position to hand off the ball to the running back. The Chiefs also added another layer of deception because typically teams run inside zone away from the side that the back is offset to. So if the back is lined up to the quarterback’s left, they’d run zone right. In the clip, the running back was lined up to Mahomes’ left but ran inside zone left.

GO DEEPER

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Another core tenant of the Wing T is the quarterback turning his back to the defense to execute fakes. Many Wing T playbooks have a whole series of plays called “spinner,” which involve the quarterback spinning to hide the ball from the defense. With the increase in shotgun formations across the league, quarterbacks will usually hand off the ball with the ball carrier coming in front of them. By integrating spinner concepts into the shotgun, they get the element of deception back even from the gun.

Taking it to the next level

The greatest lesson to take from Wing T offense isn’t the play but the sequencing. With every play, there’s a counter and another counter. If a defense overplays the outside, it can fake an outside play and hit you inside, or vice versa. McVay took the league by storm when he was first hired by the Los Angeles Rams, building his playbook with this philosophy in mind. With the Dolphins, McDaniel has taken the deception and layering element to another level. The footwork and sleight-of-hand ball fakes Tua Tagovailoa is executing are an elevation of the techniques the Wing T has established.

Week 10, 12:09 remaining in the first quarter, first-and-10

On this play, Tagovailoa first faked an inside handoff to the running back to his left before tossing the ball to receiver Malik Washington on a reverse. The ingenious part of this play is having the center and guard fake like they are down-blocking before leaking out to the perimeter to block for Washington.

Tagovailoa reversed out to fake counter to the left. The right guard and tight end also false-pulled to the left to get the linebackers to step in that direction. Tagovailoa hid the ball after his pivot before tossing the ball to Washington. He did a good job of barely moving his body while facing the sideline so the defense wouldn’t suspect he had the ball and made as little movement toward Washington as possible.

Rookie Malik Washington takes the ball 18 yards to the house! @MiamiDolphins get the scoring started.

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This play is directly from a Wing T playbook but with some tweaks.

The quarterback turning his back to the defense and all the fake possibilities adds more layers of deception when teams want to pass the ball, leading to better play action.

Here, the Packers’ Malik Willis turned his back to the defense to fake an outside handoff before throwing a screen.

In today’s age of easy access to information, offenses are looking everywhere for inspiration and ways to throw defenses off. Naturally, they’ve returned to football’s origins for inspiration because the principles of the offense never go out of vogue. Deception and sequencing with speed are a lethal combination. Wing T offenses weaponized those elements near perfection decades ago. Modern offenses are taking notes and adding their own spin to them.

(Top photo of Tua Tagovailoa: Bryan Bennett / Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, Texas – Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson by unanimous decision on Friday night in Texas.

The anti-Paul, and very pro-Tyson, crowd had been buzzing after Amanda Serrano was arguably robbed against Katie Taylor in the fight prior.

Paul walked out to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight,” trolling Tyson’s appearance in “The Hangover.” Meanwhile, Tyson’s head-bobbing music got the entire crowd fired up.

Paul immediately leaned onto Tyson, prompting plenty boos – it was a good idea, as Tyson was getting his shots early. But Paul clearly held his own in round one.

Paul connected on a couple of lefts in the third, and Tyson began to show his age. From then on, the rest of the bout was rather anticlimactic, and even the crowd couldn’t help but growl, with many headed for the exits before the results were even announced.

US retired pro-boxer Mike Tyson (R) and US YouTuber/boxer Jake Paul (L) hug after Paul defeated Tyson in their heavyweight boxing bout at The Pavilion at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, November 15, 2024.  (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

NETFLIX UNDER FIRE AS FIGHT FANS TUNING IN FOR JAKE PAUL-MIKE TYSON BOUT FACE MYRIAD OF ISSUES

AT&T Stadium tried desperately to rally behind Tyson every time he landed anything, but nothing worked. Paul bowed down to Tyson before the final bell, and the two shared a very long embrace.

Tyson said he wasn’t sure if this would be his last fight, but he did crack a joke about fighting Paul’s brother, Logan.

Neither said they were surprised it went the distance, and Tyson said he was happy with what he did in the ring – he said he wasn’t in the ring to please the world, just to show himself what he can do.

 The former heavyweight champ added that Paul “absolutely” deserves to be respected as a boxer.

US YouTuber/boxer Jake Paul celebrates winning the heavyweight boxing bout against US retired pro-boxer Mike Tyson (R) at The Pavilion at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, November 15, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)  (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Paul is now 11-1 in his career, while Tyson dropped to 50-7.

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates…

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The many lives of Mike Tyson will add another chapter Friday.

At 58 years old, Tyson will fight Jake Paul, the 27-year-old YouTube-star-turned-boxer who wasn’t even born when Tyson’s career was in its prime. It’s Tyson’s first sanctioned professional match since 2005.

The Tyson who will enter the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday is a far cry from the Tyson whose pro career ended 19 years ago, when he quit on his stool before the start of the seventh round in a loss to Kevin McBride. He’s an even further cry from the Tyson who infamously bit Evander Holyfield’s ear, the Tyson who spent three years in prison or the “Iron Mike” who dominated the sport in the 1980s.

This Tyson is a shell of the fighter he once was — though he retains the confidence of a championship competitor: “I’m not gonna lose,” he said this week.

MIKE TYSON HITS JAKE PAUL AT THE WEIGH IN #PaulTyson
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As Tyson prepares for his comeback against boxing’s viral star of today, his career beckons for a rewind. Here’s a look at Tyson’s evolution by the decade.

The 1980s: The rise of ‘Iron Mike’

At 18 years old, Tyson won his professional debut with a first-round TKO against Hector Mercedes on March 6, 1985 in Albany, N.Y. From there, his rise was meteoric.

Tyson fought 15 times in a 10-month span in 1985, winning all by knockout. He fought 13 more times in 1986, becoming the youngest heavyweight champ in history (at 20 years, 145 days old) with a second round full of vicious left hooks that sent Trevor Berbick — the last fighter to defeat Muhammad Ali — stumbling around the ring.

“I believe sincerely that Mike creates an aura of invincibility,” Tyson’s co-manager at the time, Jim Jacobs, said afterward. “I have watched Trevor Berbick on tapes. And this Trevor Berbick was nothing like the Trevor Berbick I have watched. He fought as if he was in slow motion.”

By Tyson’s 21st birthday, he was 30-0 with the unified WBA and WBC heavyweight titles. In fight No. 31, Tyson defeated Tony Tucker to win the IBF title and become the first heavyweight to hold all three major belts. He went on to defend those belts six more times by the end of the decade — all via knockout. His finish of Michael Spinks, 91 seconds into the first round, is considered by many to be the peak of Tyson’s career.

The numbers for Tyson’s 37 fights in the 1980s were staggering: He won 33 by knockout, and 17 of those in the first round.

The early 1990s: An upset, and a conviction

Tyson was a 42-to-1 favorite and seemingly a safe bet to go to 38-0 when he took on Buster Douglas in February 1990. Instead, the Tokyo Dome was treated to one of the largest upsets in sports history when Douglas knocked him out in the 10th round. Douglas had just been TKOed by Tucker three years earlier and was relegated to the undercard the same night Tyson dominated Spinks.

Behind the scenes, Tyson’s personal life had begun crumbling leading up to the upset. His first wife, actress Robin Givens, said in a televised interview that being married to Tyson was “torture, pure hell,” and filed for divorce, citing spousal abuse. Tyson also split with his manager and trainer ahead of the bout.

After the loss, Tyson rebounded with four wins in 12 months to re-establish his standing and set up a match with heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield, but that fight wouldn’t happen for five years. In 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman and was sentenced to six years in prison. He would serve three before his release on parole in March 1995.

The late 1990s: Tyson vs. Holyfield

Tyson returned to the ring in August 1995 to much fanfare and won back the WBC and WBA titles within 13 months to finally set up the heavyweight clash with Holyfield. But Holyfield, seen as over the hill by 1996, produced a stunning TKO of Tyson in the eleventh round.

A rematch was quickly arranged for June 1997. The highly anticipated Tyson-Holyfield II set a then-PPV record of 1.99 million buys.

Those watching on PPV and inside the MGM Grand saw one of the most bewildering moments in professional sports history. As the third round drew to a close, Tyson grabbed Holyfield multiple times and bit both of Holyfield’s ears, severing part of Holyfield’s right ear and ending the bout with a Tyson disqualification.

Holyfield touching his right ear after being bit by Tyson in their 1997 match. (Photo: Jeff Haynes / AFP via Getty Images)

Tyson’s boxing license in Nevada was later suspended, a ruling followed by other state athletic commissions. It would be over 18 months until the license was reinstated, and it was during that time when Tyson first dipped his toe in pop culture, appearing at WrestleMania XIV.

The decade ended with Tyson returning to the ring to knock out Francois Botha in January 1999 and then serving three and a half months in prison for assaulting two drivers in an incident from 1998, before coming back to fight Orlin Norris in October 1999. That bout was ruled a no contest.

The 2000s: Boxing retirement, pop culture emergence

At 33 years old, Tyson tried to mount a late-career resurgence. After knocking out Lou Savarese in June 2000, Tyson called out heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis, infamously stating, “I want your heart, I want to eat your children.”

His opportunity versus Lewis finally came in June 2002. Lewis largely controlled the fight, as the champion survived Tyson’s round one onslaught and controlled the pace with strong jabs. With less than a minute left in the eighth round, a Lewis right cross landed flush and put Tyson on his back for the count.

The loss accelerated the end of Tyson’s professional career. His last pro win came against Clifford Etienne in 2003.

His final professional bout — until Friday’s against Paul — came against McBride in 2005. Tyson, who struggled mightily with his stamina and the height difference, managed to keep the fight close on the scorecards, but then was issued a two-point penalty for head butting. The sixth round ended with Tyson slumped on the mat after a slip, and the match ended without Tyson ever getting off his stool to answer the seventh round.

“I do not have the guts to be in this sport anymore,” Tyson said afterward. “I don’t want to disrespect the sport that I love. My heart is not into this anymore. I’m sorry for the fans who paid for this. I wish I could have done better.”

Tyson on the mat after slipping at the end of the sixth round versus McBride. Tyson would quit the bout before the start of the seventh. (Photo: Paul J. Richards / AFP via Getty Images)

Within a few years, Tyson found a second career — through movies, television and entertainment.

He made an appearance in the movie “Rocky Balboa” in 2006, but his breakout moment came in “The Hangover” in 2009, when he air drummed to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” before knocking out Zach Galifianakis’ character, Alan. He later made cameos on “How I Met Your Mother,” “Dancing with the Stars” and in a Foot Locker commercial in which he apologizes to Holyfield for biting his ear and embraces his old rival.

The 2020s: A return to the ring

In 2020, Tyson agreed to battle Roy Jones Jr. in an eight-round exhibition, a bout sanctioned in California. Both boxers were over 50, and the match was competed under specific instructions that it should not go beyond “the boundaries of a competitive boxing exhibition,” meaning neither opponent should attempt to knock the other out.

The fight was scored a split draw despite Tyson significantly outlanding Jones. On the same card, Paul appeared in his second boxing match, knocking out former NBA player Nate Robinson.

Netflix announced Friday’s Tyson-Paul bout in March 2024. It was initially supposed to take place in July. In April, the bout was sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations to be a professional fight consisting of eight two-minute rounds fought with 14-ounce gloves.

In late May, Tyson suffered an ulcer flareup while flying from Miami to Los Angeles, forcing the fight to be delayed. According to Tyson, the ulcer was over two inches large in his stomach and resulted in him losing 26 pounds. On the flight, he said he threw up blood.

“I asked the doctor, ‘Am I going to die?’” Tyson said in the preview series, “Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson.” “And she didn’t say no. She said we have options, though. That’s when I got nervous.”

Required reading

(Photo: Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images)