The Los Angeles Rams led the National Football League in 13 personnel usage during the 2024 season, deploying three tight ends on 30.48% of their offensive snaps, according to official NFL tracking data. That heavy deployment rate outpaced the rest of the league, showcasing a distinct tactical preference under head coach Sean McVay that heavily influenced modern offensive design.
Understanding NFL 13 Personnel Packages
In NFL terminology, 13 personnel refers to an offensive formation featuring one running back, three tight ends, and just a single wide receiver on the field. According to league tactical breakdowns, this heavy package is traditionally utilized to establish a dominant run game while maintaining maximum flexibility in play-action passing. Teams typically employ multiple tight ends to stress opposing linebackers and safeties, forcing defenses to choose between matching up with lighter coverage packages or defending a compressed, run-heavy box.
The Rams relied on this specific grouping more frequently than any other franchise, pushing the boundaries of modern play-calling schemes. While various coaching staffs across the league experimented with multi-tight end sets, Los Angeles integrated the look as a foundational element of its offensive identity. The approach altered how defensive coordinators prepared for the Rams’ attack throughout the regular season.
Comparative League Usage and Tactical Shifts
While the Rams set the pace at 30.48%, other franchises utilized heavy formations with varying degrees of frequency. Across the league, offensive coordinators constantly balance wide-open three-wide-receiver sets with compressed formations designed to win the line of scrimmage. The tactical shift toward multi-tight end sets highlights a broader trend in professional football, where versatile tight ends who can both block and catch create severe matchup problems for traditional nickel and dime defensive sub-packages.
Coaches leverage these formations to dictate defensive personnel groupings, often forcing opponents to keep base defensive packages on the field against multiple pass-catching threats. By committing to 13 personnel at such a high rate, Los Angeles forced opponents to adapt their weekly game plans to account for a heavy blocking surface that could still attack downfield through play-action passes.
Strategic Outlook for Future Seasons
The continued success of heavy personnel packages across the league suggests that multi-tight end sets will remain a staple of contemporary play-calling. As front offices prioritize acquiring versatile tight ends capable of lining up inline, in the slot, or out wide, offensive coordinators gain the flexibility to shift between run-heavy formations and spread concepts without substituting players. For the Rams, maintaining this schematic edge will depend on roster continuity and the continued development of personnel suited to execute complex blocking assignments in space.
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