Two former NFL quarterbacks were finally, mercifully let off the hook on Sunday after years of humiliation.
First, there was former Jets quarterback and current FOX NFL analyst Mark Sanchez, who is remembered above all else for the Butt Fumble, was given reprieve when Dolphins punter Thomas Morstead banked one off the butt of a teammate in Miami’s 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills. Thus, the Butt Punt became part of NFL history, and Sanchez could breathe a sigh of relief.
Woah… stay out of my lane bro @thomasmorstead 🤪 #NFL https://t.co/O5ZKUgmSNl
— Mark Sanchez (@Mark_Sanchez) September 25, 2022
Then, with 9:53 left in the third quarter of Sunday night’s matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo inexplicably backed into his own end zone from his own two-yard line for a safety.
I like how he got in the second foot. Just to make sure. pic.twitter.com/nP7qs17aex
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dieter) September 26, 2022
This, of course, brought to mind the safety former Detroit Lions quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky performed in the Lions’ winless 2008 season. Vikings defensive lineman Jared Allen was chasing Orlovsky around, and Orlovsky did what most of us would do if Jared Allen was chasing us around the end zone.
He got out.
And now, Orlovsky is out of the doghouse after a very long time.
— SportsGrid (@SportsGrid) September 26, 2022
“Glad I have someone to laugh at themselves with me,” Orlovsky told me just after the play happened. “[I] guarantee he’s never run that play from that spot on the field. Ever. Same with mine. It happens… [all you can do is] laugh.”
All you can do, indeed. Though Garoppolo probably won’t laugh about it for a while.
