Definition of checkdown
checkdowns
American football
: a short pass play to a running back or tight end that the quarterback chooses after reading the defensive coverage and seeing no play downfield I just took what the defense gave me, hit my checkdowns, hit short stuff. — Eli Manning, quoted in Sporting News, 22 Dec. 2008 Running back Warrick Dunn might be the most underrated back in the league. Dunn … is a serious threat as a receiver. He's a dangerous checkdown target … — Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun-Times, 18 Dec. 2005
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Origin and Etymology of checkdown
from the verb phrase check down (to) “move to the next option (on the list of receivers)”
First Known Use: 1981
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