A friend of mine went into last night’s Monday Night Football game with a five-point deficit in his fantasy football game, and in his league, the only thing you get points for is touchdowns. He had one player active last night, and it was Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
So when Donovan McNabb hit Jackson streaking down the middle of the field for what looked like a sure touchdown, my buddy began celebrating as he thought he had just won his game this week. Well, much like my friend, DeSean began celebrating a bit early. Jackson tossed the ball behind him before ever crossing the goal line, and after a challenge by the Dallas Cowboys, the touchdown call was overturned and it was Eagles ball at the one. It was probably the most bone-headed play we’re going to see in the NFL this year, but as Rich Hofmann points out, this isn’t the first time one of DeSean’s celebrations has cost his team a touchdown.
(With video of DeSean’s dumb move after the jump.)
From the PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS:
Because what happened last night was careless and dumb - not a physical mistake, not a mental mistake caused by the stress of the moment, just showboating and dumb. Afterward, Jackson admitted that he was thinking a little about his touchdown celebration. “I still haven’t scored a touchdown, and I was excited,” he said, again.
It is not the first time in his life that something like this has happened. In high school, at a postseason all-star game in San Antonio, Jackson was voted most valuable player after a seven-catch, 141-yard day. But he also had an outrageous blemish, all about showing off: He attempted a somersault into the end zone and instead landed on the 1-yard line, costing him a touchdown.
It’s good to see DeSean learned his lesson about celebrating too early back then.
Of course, while what DeSean did on the play was a pretty dumbass thing to do, and he deserves to be called a dumbass for it, it’s not like he was the only one on that play. Let’s not forget that the referees called it a touchdown in the first place, and then there was the fact that neither Roy Williams or Pacman Jones picked the ball up after Jackson tossed it aside either.
Apparently being an idiot is contagious.
11:14 am on September 16th, 2008
How can you call Williams and Jones idiots, when the play was ruled a TD on the field? Nothing they could have done post-premature-celebration would have changed the result of the play after the review.
11:19 am on September 16th, 2008
Well, you know how when there’s a fumble on a play that’s blown dead yet the defense picks the ball up and starts running just in case? Both could have done that just in case after review it was ruled a fumble.
Though, like I said, the real idiots here along with Jackson were the refs who ruled it a touchdown.
11:35 am on September 16th, 2008
Wonder if DeSean is related to Vikings legend & wrong-way runner Jim Marshall.
12:30 pm on September 16th, 2008
What we all would’ve done for the Iggles not to score on the possession and lose because of it.
Must be their year.
7:53 am on September 18th, 2008
I was enjoying the read, until you said that being an idiot is contagious. Perhaps you should have watched the game and the play. As the play was ruled a touch down, Adam Jones can be seen going back to the ball, as is he was going to pick it up and the officials blew the whistle, causing him to stop. In fact, if you watch the clip that you put up, you’ll see Jones just a few feet from the ball, bent over at the .14 second mark. .29 second mark shows Jones running back to the ball. You can see this from a the endzone cam at the 1.06 mark.
I suggest you get your facts straight next time. Or perhaps, you are right. Being an idiot is contagious….