The Route Tree: Every Route a Receiver Runs

By 4Football Staff · September 25, 2026 · 9 min read

Every pass play is built from a small set of routes. This guide covers the standard route tree, plus the extra routes backs, tight ends and slots run, with depths, purposes and what each beats.

When a quarterback and a receiver talk about a route, they are speaking a shared language with a surprisingly small vocabulary. Nearly every pass play in football, from a youth league to the professional game, is assembled from a few dozen basic pieces: a receiver runs straight, breaks left or right, turns back, or slips out of the backfield.

The standard collection of those pieces is called the route tree. It is named for its shape. Draw the routes on a diagram, with the receiver's starting point at the bottom, and they spread upward and outward like branches from a trunk. Short routes sit low, deep routes reach high, and the angle of each branch shows which way the receiver breaks.

This guide walks through the whole tree. It starts with the nine routes in the standard numbered tree, adds the other routes that appear in nearly every playbook, and then explains how routes fit together and what each one is designed to beat. One caution first: names and numbers differ from team to team. The descriptions here are the common ones, and a given coach may use a different word for the same pattern.

The vocabulary of a route

A few terms make the descriptions easier.

• The stem is the first part of the route, when the receiver runs straight ahead before he breaks.
• The break is the point where he changes direction. Coaches speak of "breaking at twelve yards," meaning he makes his cut twelve yards past the line of scrimmage.
• The release is how the receiver gets off the line of scrimmage against a defender.
• Inside means toward the middle of the field. Outside means toward the nearest sideline.
• Depth is measured in yards from the line of scrimmage. The depths in this article are typical and vary by play and by team.

The standard numbered route tree

Many offenses number the basic routes from 1 to 9. In the most widely used numbering, odd numbers break toward the sideline and even numbers break toward the middle. Not every coach uses these numbers, and some trees add a zero for a hitch, but they are a good place to start.

1: The flat

A flat route is a short run toward the sideline, usually by a running back or tight end, just beyond the line of scrimmage. It gives the quarterback an easy throw and a receiver who can catch the ball and turn upfield. Its main job is often to stretch a defender: a linebacker or cornerback who covers the flat cannot also cover something deeper.

2: The slant

On a slant, the receiver takes a quick step or two straight ahead and then cuts diagonally toward the middle of the field. The quarterback throws almost immediately, often with a three-step drop. It is a quick, high-percentage route against both man and zone coverage, and it is especially useful near the goal line. Against a defender who plays tight, it works because the receiver gets inside leverage before the defender can recover.

3: The comeback

A comeback is a deeper route where the receiver runs hard upfield, usually fifteen yards or more, and then stops and turns back toward the quarterback and slightly toward the sideline. It beats defenders who are backpedaling and cannot stop their momentum. It requires the quarterback to throw before the receiver completes his turn, because the ball must arrive just as he does.

4: The curl

The curl is a mid-depth route in which the receiver runs upfield, stops and turns toward the quarterback, typically settling in a soft spot in zone coverage. It is similar to a comeback but shallower and aimed more inward. Receivers are coached to "sit down" in the open area between defenders.

5: The out

On an out, the receiver runs upfield and breaks sharply toward the nearest sideline at a right angle. The depth varies: a quick out may be five yards deep, and a deep out may be fifteen. The throw has to be accurate, because the ball travels across the width of the field to the sideline and the defender can undercut it if it's late.

6: The dig or in route

The dig is the inside counterpart of the out. The receiver runs upfield and breaks across the middle of the field, usually at ten to fifteen yards. It attacks the space between linebackers and safeties. The receiver is exposed to hits across the middle, so the route takes toughness.

7: The corner

The corner route begins like a post or a go and then breaks diagonally toward the sideline and the back corner of the field. It often attacks the space between a cornerback and a safety, particularly in coverages where the safeties each protect half of the deep field. It is also a common choice near the goal line, where the target is the corner of the end zone.

8: The post

On a post, the receiver runs upfield and then cuts diagonally toward the goalpost, that is, toward the middle of the field. It is a deep route that tests the safety in the middle of the field. A post is often called on play-action passes, because the safeties may have stepped forward to help against the run.

9: The go

The go, also called a fly or streak, is a straight line down the field with no break. It is the simplest route in the tree. It forces the defense to respect the deep ball and gives a fast receiver a chance to win by speed alone.

Routes beyond the numbered tree

The numbered nine do not cover everything. Other routes appear in nearly every offense.

The screen is a subject of its own, covered in our guide to why the screen pass works.

Double moves

Receivers also combine two cuts in a single route. These double moves are designed to trick a defender who reacts to the first one.

• Out-and-up. The receiver breaks toward the sideline as if running an out, then turns upfield. A cornerback who jumps the out is beaten deep.
• Stop-and-go (or hitch-and-go). The receiver stops as if running a hitch, then accelerates downfield.
• Slant-and-go (or sluggo). The receiver cuts inside as if running a slant, then breaks upfield.
• Post-corner. The receiver stems toward the middle as if running a post and then breaks to the corner.

The risk of a double move is that it takes time. The quarterback has to hold the ball longer, and the pass rush gets more time to reach him.

What each route beats

Every route is a tool for a particular problem. These are general tendencies, not rules.

Against man coverage, where one defender shadows one receiver, receivers want to create separation. Quick-breaking routes such as slants, outs and comebacks work because the receiver can change direction faster than the defender. Crossing routes can help by creating traffic for the defenders to work through.

Against zone coverage, where defenders guard areas, receivers want to find open space between defenders. Curls, digs, seams and drags sit in the gaps between zones. Routes that attack the seam between two zone defenders stretch them in different directions.

Against press coverage, where a defender lines up at the line and jams the receiver, the release matters and the route often starts with a quick fake. Slants, fades and quick outs are common answers.

Against off coverage, where the defender gives the receiver a cushion, short routes such as hitches and quick outs are available, and the offense can pick up easy yards.

Against deep safeties, receivers run routes that force the safety to choose. A post and a corner running together on one side can give a safety a difficult decision.

How routes combine into concepts

A route by itself does not beat a defense. Routes are designed in groups, called concepts, so that the defenders have more to cover than they can handle. For example, a deep route on one side and a short route underneath it forces the same defender to choose between them. A group of routes that stretch one side of the defense at three different depths is called a flood. A pair of crossing routes is called a mesh. We explore those combinations in passing concepts. For the quarterback's side of the equation, how he chooses which receiver to throw to, see quarterback progressions.

Running the route well

A diagram makes a route look easy, but the details are what separate a good receiver from a great one.

1. Sell the stem. A receiver who runs the first part of every route in the same way, with the same speed and body position, makes it hard for a defender to guess what is coming.
2. Break at the right depth. A route that is a yard short or a yard long can ruin the timing with the quarterback.
3. Make a sharp cut. Rounding the break gives the defender time to recover. Receivers drop their hips and plant their outside foot to change direction.
4. Come out of the break with speed. A cut that loses momentum gives the defense an advantage.
5. Look for the ball at the right moment. On quick routes, the head turns on the break. On deep routes, the receiver watches the defender and finds the ball late.
6. Finish the play. After the catch, the receiver turns upfield for extra yards.

Our article on route running fundamentals goes into these skills.

Watching routes as a fan

You do not need a coach's view to see routes. Try these habits.

• Watch the receiver, not the ball, for the first two seconds of a play. Look for his stem and the point where he breaks.
• Count the receivers who run deep and the ones who stay short. The mix tells you what the play is designed to do.
• Look for the defender's reaction. A cornerback who turns his hips early may be falling for a fake.
• Note where the quarterback throws. If the ball arrives before the receiver finishes his turn, it is a timing route.

You can compare receivers on the players page, see who catches the most passes on the leaders page and read about route-heavy positions in our fantasy resources. The Play section can help recreational players practice them.

What to remember

• The route tree is a standard set of pass patterns, commonly numbered 1 to 9: flat, slant, comeback, curl, out, dig, corner, post and go.
• In the usual numbering, odd numbers break toward the sideline and even numbers break toward the middle.
• Other common routes include the hitch, fade, seam, wheel, drag, stick, swing, angle, screen, option and check-down.
• Double moves such as the out-and-up and the post-corner use one fake to beat a defender on the second cut.
• Routes beat man and zone coverage in different ways, so offenses combine them into concepts.
• Names, numbers and depths vary by team, so treat any single diagram as a starting point.