Passing concepts
Option route
A route where the receiver breaks whichever way the defender does not, on a shared read with the quarterback.
On an option route the receiver has no fixed break. He reads the leverage of the defender covering him — inside, outside, sit down against zone — and the quarterback reads the same defender, so they arrive at the same answer without a signal.
Option routes require trust and reps, which is why they cluster with veteran slot receivers, tight ends and pass-catching backs. They are extremely reliable target generators: the route is designed to be open somewhere.
Related terms
- Slot receiverThe inside receiver lined up between the tackle and the outside receiver, working the middle of the field.
- West Coast offenseA timing-based passing game of short, high-percentage throws that function as the run game.
- Zone coverageEach defender guards an area of the field rather than a specific receiver.