: 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
Word History
Etymology
from the verb phrase check down (to) "move to the next option (on the list of receivers)"
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