The zone read, or read option, exploded onto the NFL in the early parts of this decade, as offenses featuring Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III all ran it with great success. Kaepernick most notably delivered it into the consciousness of every NFL fan with an incredible 181-yard, two touchdown performance in his first playoff start against the Green Bay Packers.
Since then, with Griffin’s career being derailed by injuries and Kaepernick’s play dropping off in the 2014 and 2015 seasons, much has been made about the staying power of the zone read.