A narrow notch, groove, or opening, as a keyway in machinery or a slit for a coin in a vending machine. A slot in a football is a position in the wide receiver corps that allows the offense to stretch the field. Often shorter and quicker than traditional wide receivers, slot receivers are used to pick up blitzes from linebackers or secondary players while also providing protection on outside run plays.
The emergence of the slot receiver as an essential part of NFL offenses has forced defenses to pay special attention to them. Typically paired with a running back, a good slot can make life miserable for defensive backs trying to cover them while also giving the quarterback a reliable target to hit on short and intermediate routes.
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