- published: 30 Mar 2010
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Safety (S) is a position in American and Canadian football, played by a member of the defense. The safeties are defensive backs who line up from ten to fifteen yards in front of the line of scrimmage. There are two variations of the position in a typical American formation, the free safety (FS) and the strong safety (SS). Their duties depend on the defensive scheme. The defensive responsibilities of the safety and cornerback usually involve pass coverage towards the middle and sidelines of the field, respectively. While American (11-player) formations generally use two safeties, Canadian (12-player) formations generally have one safety and two defensive halfbacks, a position not used in the American game. As professional and college football have become more focused on the passing game, safeties have become more involved in covering the eligible pass receivers.
Safeties are the last line of defense, and are thus expected to be sure tacklers. Indeed, many safeties rank among the hardest hitters in football history.
Darren Mallory Sharper (born November 3, 1975) is a former American football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fourteen seasons. He played college football for the College of William & Mary. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft, also playing for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. Sharper was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team. He finished his career with 63 interceptions, 6th on the NFL's all-time leader list at the time of his retirement.
In 2014, Sharper was arrested and accused of sexual assault in California. He was subsequently charged with multiple sexual assaults in Louisiana, Arizona, and Nevada, and pleaded guilty to rape charges involving nine women. As part of a complicated plea agreement across multiple jurisdictions he was sentenced to twenty years in prison, though it is unlikely he will serve more than nine. Additionally he will be required to register as a sex offender and spend the rest of his life on parole.