If you weren’t too afraid of Taylor Swift’s endless references to watching the Philadelphia Eagles-Kansas City Chiefs game last night, you probably noticed Philly defensive tackle Jalen Carter doing something you’ve never seen before late in the first half. (Personally, I’m much more offended by the fact that the Kelce Brothers covered and ruined “Fairytale of New York” than anything related to Taylor Swift. No, I won’t provide a link.) However, with time running out before halftime, Carter raced forward off the line, nearly intercepting a rising Patrick Mahomes.
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I don’t know what was more shocking, whether Carter tried it or that he almost succeeded. How did he even come up with such an idea? Like all good Gen Zers, watch this on YouTube. “I saw it on YouTube” Carter told local Philly sports station. “Some high school kids had tried — and he actually caught the ball. So I was like, you know, that’s a good idea. And I knew they were pumping him up. So I tried to go for it.”
Since the NFL has been around for 103 years and we have games happening about 12 nights a week, it’s always exciting to see a new and innovative play. I don’t count the Tush Push among these moves, as William “Refrigerator” Perry basically invented pushing a player across the line when he tried to throw Walter Payton over the goal line in Super Bowl XX. Also, Jim McMahon was able to successfully execute a QB sneak without anyone pushing him in a place where the sun doesn’t shine. But I digress.
As fun as Carter’s attempt was, can you imagine if it had actually worked? It seems pretty obvious that when the ball leaves the quarterback’s hands and is caught by the other team, it is a clear interception. But I’m sure the officials will find a reason why it doesn’t work, calling it rude to passersby, incomplete, or something else stupid that spoils everyone’s fun. However, I really hope that this becomes a normal thing that we can look forward to, just like it did when landing celebrations were first allowed and we got artistic masterpieces. Likes This and this And this.
As for Carter, not only is he creative, he’s great at his job, and he’s currently the front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Like ESPN “The last first-year defensive tackle with at least 12 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks over any five games was the Rams’ Aaron Donald in 2014,” he noted last month. That’s not bad company, especially for a player who seems to be fun, creative, and willing to try new things. Keep watching YouTube, Galen. I can’t wait to see what you try next.
