Slotback

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Slotback, also called slot receiver, is a position in gridiron football. The "slot" is the area between the offensive tackle and the wide receiver. A player who lines up between those two players and behind the line of scrimmage fills that "slot".

The slotback position is a fixture of Canadian football and indoor football where they act as extra receivers. It is also used in American football where the position requires a versatile player who must combine the receiving skills of a wide receiver, the ball-carrying skills of a running back, and the blocking skills of a tight end.^[1] In modern NFL, the slotback is often referred to as the "flex" position.

Slotbacks can line up as far as 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. In both the Canadian and indoor game, slotbacks can make a running start toward the line of scrimmage before the snap. In the NFL, this would be called illegal motion, however, most professional leagues such as the Canadian Football League, the World Football League, and the XFL allow forward motion.