“Armchair quarterback” is an idiom originating from American football, referring to someone who makes judgments without participating. It has expanded to other areas, and is used to describe those with opinions but no action. It is often used sarcastically and disparagingly.
“Armchair quarterback” is an idiom that originated in the United States. Refers to someone who does not participate in an action but still makes judgments about it. The phrase gets its meaning from the fact that a quarterback is the player in the sport of American football who controls much of the game. An “armchair quarterback” is someone who offers his opinion on something without actually being a part of it. It is a idiom that has branched out from the world of sports to encompass many other aspects of life.
One of the most popular sources of idioms, phrases that acquire somewhat different meanings from their literal definitions through popular usage, is the world of sports. Each sport is associated with specific terminology, and some popular sports terms and phrases are used in contexts other than sports to illustrate ideas or points. Soccer, which is the dominant sport in the United States in terms of fan interest, is an especially rich source of idioms like “armchair quarterback.”
To understand the meaning of “armchair quarterback,” it is imperative to understand the role a quarterback plays on the football field. The quarterback touches the ball on virtually every offensive play, decides who will be given the ball by passing or delivering it, and is often in charge of calling plays that the offense will run. He is generally regarded by football pundits as having the most important position in a team.
Of course, the irony of this statement is that someone sitting in an armchair is a passive spectator and not an active participant in the event in question. As a result, the phrase is often used by the speaker to describe someone in a disparaging and sarcastic way. For an example of how the idiom is used, someone might say, “He thinks he knows all the answers, but he’s nothing but an armchair quarterback.”
As an idiom, “armchair quarterback” has gone from being used only in a football context to the point where it is used in many different applications. For example, political pundits appearing on television are often derisively described in this way if they have never taken an active role in politics. In general, anyone who has strong opinions on a topic but does not act on those opinions or only offers them after action has been completed may be labeled as such.
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