Slotback (sometimes referred to as an
A-back or, especially in the United States,
slot receiver) is a position in
gridiron football. The "slot" is the area between the last
offensive lineman on either side of the center and the wide receiver on that side. A player who lines up between those two players and behind the line of scrimmage is a slotback. The position is a fixture of
Canadian football and
indoor football, but is also used in
American football. The slotback is similar to the
wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a
running back or
tight end; a slotback lines up closer to the
offensive line and often farther back than a wide receiver.