Meaning & use
Checkdown
Last updated
In American football, a short, safe pass thrown to a secondary receiver, usually a running back, when the primary receivers are covered.
See it in a sentence
Under pressure, the quarterback threw a quick checkdown to his running back for a short gain.
The coach praised the rookie for taking the checkdown instead of forcing a risky throw downfield.
A note on using this word
Also used as a verb ("to check down") describing a quarterback's decision to abandon a deep throw in favor of a safer, shorter option.
Words with a similar meaning
safety valvedump-off
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Checkdown”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.