armchair quarterback

armchair quarterback (plural armchair quarterbacks)

1. (colloquial, idiomatic, chiefly US) A person who watches sports on television, typically American football, who often verbally suggests plays or critiques the players and coaches.

   My dad is such an armchair quarterback; he recognizes every bad decision the coach makes as soon as the play is over and he knows whether or not it worked.

   • 1959 Oct, “Notes on these changing times”, in Herbert L. Brown, Jr., editor, The Kiplinger Magazine: Changing Times‎, volume 13, number 10, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc., page 2:

     To turn an armchair quarterback into a triple-threat man, just ask him to rake the leaves. He'll put up a terrific kick, pass the buck to his kids, and put up a long run.

2. (figurative, colloquial, idiomatic, chiefly US) A person who criticizes something in which they are not involved and lack expertise.

• Monday-morning quarterback
• armchair expert

• “armchair quarterback”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “armchair quarterback”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “armchair quarterback” (US) / “armchair quarterback” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.