A slot is a narrow opening or groove, for example, the hole that coins go into to make machines work. It can also refer to a position or place in a schedule, program, or event: He dropped the coin into the slot and dialed. A slot can also refer to an allocated time for an aircraft to take off or land at an airport: The new airline was given 40 more slots.
Football players whose primary position is in the slot are known as slot receivers. They are more versatile than wide receivers and may be asked to carry the ball on pitch plays or end-arounds, as well as catch passes from the quarterback. Slot receivers normally don’t look like the stereotypical wide receivers; they tend to be shorter and stockier, and have quick feet and hands to get open against defenders.
Slot receivers must be able to run complex routes that require speed, elusion, and evasion. They are also expected to be good blockers, as they often line up close to the defensive line. They must be able to pick up blitzes from cornerbacks and safeties, and they should be able to provide protection on running plays designed to the outside of the field.
Because they are more versatile than other wide receivers, slot receivers usually see a lot of playing time and can have significant impacts on their teams’ offenses. Some slot receivers even become more important than the No. 1 and No. 2 receivers on their teams, catching more passes and scoring more touchdowns than other players.
The emergence of the slot receiver position in modern football can be traced back to 1963, when Sid Gillman was coaching the Raiders. He began using a two-wide receiver formation, with one receiver on the inside and the other wide out on the outside. He emphasized the importance of slot receivers with precise route running and timing, and his team found success with this strategy.
Some of the most successful slot receivers in NFL history have been Wes Welker, Andre Rison, and Julian Edelman. These receivers possessed great speed, excellent route running skills, and precision when it came to their timing. In addition, they were able to evade and avoid tackles, allowing them to gain separation from defenders for easy catches.
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