General
flea flicker
What does flea flicker mean?
A trick play in which the ball is handed to a running back who then tosses it back to the quarterback, who throws a pass downfield to fool the defense.
"They caught the safeties biting and hit a deep bomb off the flea flicker."
Origin
American football slang; the ball is 'flicked' around like a flea hopping.
Frequently asked questions
What is a flea flicker in football?
It's a trick play where the QB hands off to a running back who then pitches the ball back to the QB, who throws deep to catch the defense out of position.
Why does the flea flicker work?
The run fake pulls the safeties and linebackers toward the line, leaving receivers open behind them for a big pass.
Where does the name flea flicker come from?
The ball is 'flicked' back and forth, and early accounts likened the quick tosses to a flea hopping around.
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