Role of Slang in Football Culture

It's almost a guarantee that you’ll hear a ton of football slang whenever you’re around the game. In the stands as a spectator. As a player on the sidelines. As a fan listening to commentators. During recess. Some people can just sit around for hours and rip any and every piece of American football slang they can think of when describing players. “Oh yeah, I remember the pick-six from that game. Week 11, 2015, I think, right? Our quarterback was absolutely cooked.” To understand whatever that hypothetical situation from that sentence was, it’s important to brush-up on your football slang. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you can come back to it and understand it. Knowing more football slang will help you talk about the game a bit more casually amongst die-hard fans.

30 Football Slang Terms You’ll Hear Around the Game

Here’s a quick list of 30 American football slang terms to go along with basic ones that you’ll hear a mix of when engaged in conversation or watching/listening a game. You can make a game for yourself out of these, too, by counting how many times a broadcast will mention them.

Football Slang Terms for Offense

Bell Cow/Workhorse: Typically given to a skill position player on offense like a wide receiver, running back, or tight end, this refers to a player that’s getting a lot of action with the ball. You might not see it as much anymore since teams have begun to move towards a “running back by committee” approach, but it was typical to see running backs get 25+ touches a game. Now, teams will split those touches between a starter and a backup, sometimes even a third string player. The premiere players on a team usually get the ball the most (or at least teams try to get it to them), making them workhorses. 

Cadence: Before a ball is snapped, you’ll hear a quarterback say something like “White 80!” and then receive it. That’s a cadence. “White 80! White 80, set, go!” would be an example of a full cadence. Quarterbacks can also clap to signal wanting the ball snapped. Using a cadence tells the offense that the ball is about to be snapped, and quarterbacks can use their cadence to an advantage. Some will say something like “on two” to their players in the huddle, which would signal the ball not being in play the first time a quarterback says something like “go,” “hut,” “hike,” or a clap, but instead snapping it on the second time. This can get defenses to jump offsides, resulting in a defensive penalty. A quarterback’s cadence isn’t all the same around the league. You’ll hear all different variations of colors, numbers, and more. It’s something that can really make them unique around the league. 

Cannon/Laser: There’s quarterbacks that just have big arms. There’s quarterbacks that can throw the ball fast with pinpoint accuracy. And, there’s quarterbacks that can do both. A “cannon” of an arm means a quarterback can throw the ball really far, just like a cannon shoots. A “laser” is used to describe a pass that’s just thrown with a lot more juice behind it. 

Designed roll-out: Offenses will design plays in which the quarterback doesn’t do your traditional drop-back pass, but instead “rolls out” to the left or the right and throws the ball on the run. Typically, a right-handed quarterback will roll out to their right side while receivers run routes towards the right side or up the middle of the field. For left-handed quarterbacks, you’d just flip the concept. There are occasional calls in which a quarterback will roll out to their non-dominant side for a pass, which requires more squaring of the shoulders and more accuracy. Roll outs can be effective when an offense expects pressure from the defense, giving the quarterback a bit of a head start to avoid it. Some call rolling out a “bootleg pass” as well. 

Down the seam: You’ll see on every play that a defense will line up in some kind of coverage. Whether that be man, Cover 1, or something else, some routes will be ran to exploit those coverages. A “seam” route is a type of route a player will run that splits between zones that defenders are responsible for. Say one player is responsible for the first five yards beyond the line of scrimmage and another is 12, you’d essentially run between them before either defender picks you up as their responsibility. A seam route finds a receiver between defensive zones. 

Dropped it in the bucket: When you see some throws a quarterback makes, there’s not much you can say but “how did he...” and watch a replay over and over again. One of the prettiest balls you’ll see is an over-the-shoulder pass, where a receiver will run a “go route” (practically just running a straight line) and the quarterback drops it right in their hands in-stride. That’s dropping it right in the bucket.  

First read: Quarterbacks will go through “reads” when dropping back for a pass. This is like having a Plan A, Plan B, and so forth in terms of potential receivers to throw to. Depending on coverages and other elements like receivers slipping, falling, or running the wrong route, as well as pressure in the pocket, a quarterback might need to go to Plan B, C, D, etc. On every given play, there’s a “first read,” where that receiver (let’s call them “Receiver A”) is the primary target. If Receiver A isn’t open, it’s up to the quarterback to go through their progressions and make the right call. This is harder than you’d think, as the average time quarterbacks got to throw in the NFL for the 2024 season was as high as 3.14 seconds, to 2.42 seconds. That’s a lot of information that goes into each play, and some quarterbacks will have an issue (usually early in their careers) where they “lock on” to their first read, which makes them dependent on Receiver A, and not cycling through reads even if they’re not open. That can equal bad passes, turnovers, and stagnant drives for the offense. Quarterback is hard, huh? 

Game manager: Now this is a term that can have multiple meanings when in use. In a positive light, a game manager is a quarterback that understands the ins and outs of the offense, its schemes, details, and is great when it comes down to making the right calls situationally. Who wouldn’t want to be a game manager, right? Well, it’s become a term that can diminish credibility for a quarterback where it might be due. Some people will call quarterbacks with great or even elite playmakers around them “game managers,” meaning sure, their statistics might be great, but how much of that is due to the quarterback being good as much as it is his playmakers being great? Think of a quarterback finishing a season with, say, 30 touchdowns to just four interceptions. Great numbers, no doubt, but when you look into how those touchdowns were scored, were they results of an awesome throw, or a great receiver taking a short pass for 70 yards and a score? “Game manager” all comes down to context, and if you’re looking to have a heated argument with friends and family about a player. Tread lightly! 

Hail Mary: The desperation play of desperation plays, a Hail Mary is a play a team runs as a last chance before the clock hits halftime or the game ends to score. Too far from the end zone to run a standard play, the offense will send as many eligible receivers as they can to run into the end zone, where the quarterback will throw the ball into in hopes of someone catching it. 
 

Hospital pass/Hospital ball: All you can really do when you see one of these thrown is kind of look away and hope for the best. This is a term that’s used for a ball that’s thrown to a receiver in tight space where they’re more vulnerable for a big hit than usual. You’ll hear receivers say they “heard footsteps” when running crossing routes over the middle. That’s because the middle of the field is usually crowded, and defenders can anticipate passes while receivers might not be aware of defenders. It’s like crossing the road without looking both ways. 

Pancake block: Just like a pick-six is a defender’s dream, a pancake block is an offensive lineman’s bread and butter. This is when a block is so overwhelming to a defender that the defender ends up lying right on their back, flat as a pancake. It might not be as flashy as a juke or a stiff arm, but boy does a pancake block set the tone. 

RPO: A run-pass option (RPO) play gives the quarterback the option to either hand the ball off to a running back, run the ball themselves, or pass the ball. It’s a quick decision, and quarterbacks will base their choice off what an opposing linebacker or safety chooses to do at the snap of the ball. Offensive linemen block as if the play was a run, the quarterback will put the ball into the stomach of their running back, and either complete the handoff or pull the ball back and run themselves or pass the ball. If the quarterback sees a linebacker or safety that’s in the box drop back in coverage, the play would be to run the ball. If they stay close to the line of scrimmage and in the box, you’d typically choose to throw the ball, as there are fewer defenders in coverage. You’ll see teams that have dual-threat quarterbacks (those that can run as well as they can throw) run more RPO plays. 

Shotgun: Instead of being directly under the center, the quarterback lines up about six or seven yards behind the center to receive the snap. Most of the time, teams will line up in shotgun formation for a pass play, more specifically on third down and long. This lets a quarterback get a better sense of what the defense is showing, but also tells the defense there’s a pretty good chance the play will be a pass. Some teams call run plays from a shotgun formation, too. 

Thread the needle/Tight window: There’s throws to receivers that’ll be wide open, where it seemingly looks like the defense took the play off. Then, there’s tight window throws where a quarterback threads the needle. These are passes that get completed when there’s very little space between a defender(s) and the intended receiver. “Tight window” refers to the limited space, while “threading the needle” is in reference to the small amount of space you’d place a strand of thread through a sewing needle. 

Throwing a dime: A 10/10 ball, when you throw a dime, you’re putting the ball exactly where it needs to be. There’s not a better pass you can make than a ball that’s on a dime. 

Throwing a duck: Not every quarterback is going to throw the ball a trillion miles an hour on a straight line. Weaker throws that have more of an arch to them? That’s considered a duck. Though they might not be the strongest of balls thrown, they certainly can be more accurate and, in some cases, more receiver friendly.  

Throwing to the spot: Commentators and coaches will mention quarterbacks “throwing to a spot.” When a receiver, for example, is running a slant route and going across the field, you don’t want to throw to where the receiver is at the time of your throw, but instead where they will be once the ball reaches them. Take a look next time you see a pass thrown, and watch how the quarterback throws to where he anticipates the player ending up in his route instead of where he is in his route at the time of the ball being released. If a ball is thrown behind the receiver, that means that the ball didn’t end up where the quarterback expected his receiver to be when it reached them. 

YAC: Short for “yards after catch,” this is when a player that caught a pass then continues to gain more yards. So, let’s say you catch a 10-yard pass at the 50 yard-line, gaining 15 yards and getting to the 35 yard-line would result in 15 YAC. Some of the best receivers in the league not only make difficult catches, but get valuable YAC using shifty moves to get around defenders. If you play fantasy football, having receivers that are great at adding yardage after a catch are some of the best you can have.

Football Slang Terms for Defense

Bull rush: What’s an alternative to trying to get around an offensive lineman? Go through them. When a defensive lineman performs a “bull rush,” they’re using power, technique, and speed to go directly into an offensive lineman, pushing them back towards the quarterback. It’s overpowering. It’s disrupting for a quarterback. It’s a display of pure strength. And, it can totally have an offensive lineman in for a long day on the field. A successful bull rush can deteriorate a quarterback’s pocket fast, leading to sacks and having them throw an inaccurate ball. 

Loaded box: The “box” in football refers to “the width from offensive tackle to offensive tackle and the 5-yard depth in front and behind the offensive tackles.” Simply put, if there’s more defenders in the box than there are offensive blockers, you’d say the defense is “loading the box.” More defenders in the box would make it more difficult to run the ball effectively, as there’s less blocking compared to defenders. Teams with below-average quarterbacks might run into more stacked boxes since they’d be more inclined to run the ball. On the flip side, if you’ve got a solid passing game, you might see less loaded boxes since defenses have to respect your quarterback and receivers, which in-turn opens the running game for your squad. 

Mike, Sam, Will linebackers: In a 4-3 defense, you’ll have three linebackers that all have separate responsibilities, yet the same goal—stop the offense. Your middle, or “Mike” linebacker, is typically the quarterback of the defense. He’s the one that’ll relay play calls, while making sure that the defense is where it needs to be pre-snap. They line up towards the middle of the field just beyond the defensive line, and help against runs towards the middle of the field, as well as short passes. Your strong-side, or “Sam” linebacker, lines up on the strong side of the offense, which is in-line with the tight end (since there’s essentially an extra blocker). They’ve got to be strong, helping set the edge against the run, which helps defenders cut off that side of the field to a running back and making things more one-dimensional for an offense. Lastly, your weak-side linebacker, or “Will,” line up on the side in which the tight end isn’t present. They’re usually better in coverage and fast, being able to get to parts of the field quick to make a play.

Pick-six: Every defender's dream is getting a pick-six. It’s even more electric when a defensive lineman tallies one. This is when a defender intercepts a pass and takes it all the way back for a touchdown, hence the “six,” the value of a touchdown prior to an extra point (or two-point conversion) attempt. Few defensive linemen tally this feat, but when they do, well, it’s sure to get people on their feet.

Two-deep: Another saying for Cover 2 defensive coverage. In a 4-3 base defense, a two-deep look would have four defensive linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks, and two deep safeties. The linebackers and cornerbacks are responsible for covering underneath zones that limit short passes like slants, while the two safeties stay back to help prevent longer passes. This coverage can be effective against teams that like to run quick plays that get the ball out fast, but is susceptible to run plays and longer passes like go routes and post routes. That’s because if you have three or even four players running longer routes, you essentially only have two players in coverage.

General Football Slang Terms

Chain gang: When you’re watching football, you’ll notice that, yes, the line of scrimmage as well as the first down markers are highlighted blue and yellow on the screen. As much as you’d hope that would also be the case while physically on the field, it’s not. Instead, football uses a “chain gang” of officials to mark the line of scrimmage and first down markers on the sideline. You’ll see officials on the sidelines with orange and black posts that represent the down, as well as another that represents where the offense must get to for a first down. When a ball is too close to call, officials will ask the chain gang to come out and mark the distance from where the ball was spotted to where the first down marker is. The line of scrimmage “post” and the first down “post” are connected by, you guessed it, a chain. The use of the chain gang might be changed soon, though, as most sports are looking to implement more technology in their games that represents a potentially faster, more accurate playing experience.

Cooking/Cooked: You can thank the last 10 or so years of pop culture and the influx of social media into society for this football slang. Think of this in two ways: If you’re making big play after big play, you’re cooking, and your team should “let you cook,” which essentially means giving you the ball more on offense. If you’re getting cooked, you can guess it, you’re essentially as good as a piece of burnt toast out there. Something’s not working, and you’re giving up big plays. It’s always better to be the chef than it is to be the food in the pan.

Eyes in the backfield: Sometimes, more so for defenders that are in coverage, you’ll hear them get “caught with their eyes in the backfield.” That means that perhaps instead of being focused on the receiver or player that they’re responsible for in coverage, they’ll have their eyes set on what’s going on around the quarterback. This can lead to receivers getting passed them, as they’re too distracted watching the quarterback instead of being locked in on coverage.

Gridiron: Just another name for a football field. Claude H. Miller used the term “gridiron” to describe a football field first in 1911. The term stems from a field’s original checkerboard pattern, which looked like the cooking tool, a gridiron.

In the trenches: You’ll find that a lot of American football terminology and slang is represented by war terms (trenches, missiles, cannons, etc.). Teams “battle it out” on the field. “The trenches” in American football is the space on the line of scrimmage where offensive and defensive linemen meet and try to overpower each other. Usually, you’ll hear commentators speak about the team that wins “in the trenches” will have an advantage. This means that either the defensive line will dominate, or the offensive line will shut them down. 

Laces or spaces: If you're on the playground or just playing recreationally, you’ll usually call “laces” or “spaces” to decide which team gets the ball first. Professionally, teams will come together and do a coin toss to decide this. Instead, you’ll toss the football in the air, and when it lands, if the side showing the laces is showing, the team that called “laces” gets to choose how to start the game. If the side that’s not showing laces is up, the team that called “spaces” gets to choose.

Red Zone: You know that big rectangle painted with a team’s name and/or logo? You want to get in that. Because that means you get points, and the team with more points at the end of a game wins! Being in the “red zone” indicates you’re close to the end zone. Once a team gets within 20 yards of the end zone, they’re in the red zone. Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs first used “red zone” back in 1982 as a military metaphor for being “within striking range.”