Malachi Corley was DeSean Jackson for Halloween. Or maybe Leon Lett?
Or any other NFL player who started celebrating a touchdown before actually crossing the goal line, only to end up turning the ball over.
Corley, the New York Jets' rookie wide receiver, began celebrating after cruising into the end zone untouched on a 19-yard reverse during a matchup against the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football. But replay showed that Corley let go of the ball before crossing the goal line. The live ball rolled out of the back of the end zone, leading to a touchback that took the touchdown off the board in the scoreless game and gave possession to the Texans.
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What we thought was a Jets TD... is a touchback! Houston ball 😳#HOUvsNYJ on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2024
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/D3liGAROrt
So, Corley's first career touchdown became his first career fumble.
"What in the heck is he thinking? Why the urgency for some of these guys to drop the ball? Even if it's close. Finish the play. Get it in the end zone."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
A dumbfounded Kirk Herbstreit on Malachi Corley's dumb mistake. pic.twitter.com/W3NbzXT9RO
"What in the heck is he thinking?" Prime announcer Kirk Herbstreit said on the broadcast. "Why the urgency for some of these guys to drop the ball? Even if it's close. Finish the play. Get it in the end zone."
NFL
Social media had the same reaction as Herbstreit, with the play a perfectly reflection of what has been a disastrous Jets season.
“All you have to do is hold on to the football until you are in the endzone”
— Dylan Holt (@DylanHolt_) November 1, 2024
Malachi Corley:
pic.twitter.com/YBoI9cAcsG
If I was a coach in the NFL, and a dude dropped a ball to celebrate or fumbled on the way to end zone when he slowed up.. I’d probably kick him off the team immediately. Malachi Corley welcome to the unemployment line
— Fantasy Jeff (@FantasyJeff) November 1, 2024
It was at this moment that Malachi Corley remembered that he started Texans D/ST tonight 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Nf0lO7wuCQ
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) November 1, 2024
Malachi Corley washing dishes after this game https://t.co/QTtC3xvS2f pic.twitter.com/vTbwlR8gOh
— Mikey O’ver (@MikeyOver1) November 1, 2024
Jets fans after Malachi Corley just did a Desean Jackson...
— primalkey (@primalkey) November 1, 2024
Only the Jets 😆 pic.twitter.com/sVX1niUcKm
Malachi Corley in practice next week
— Kris Melchizedek(not my real surname*) (@CrucifiedAgape) November 1, 2024
#HOUvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/pC7DLsMXZu
Desean Jackson & Leon Lett watching the Jets game right now pic.twitter.com/ooWDJTchSm
— Jimmy.Dew 💧 (@J_May111) November 1, 2024
New York got a combined 0 touchdowns and 0 outs from these two screenshots in the last 24 hours #Jets #Yankees #Rizzo #Cole #Corley #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/qPR4kgwWGD
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) November 1, 2024
The Jets were held scoreless in the half after mustering just 69 total yards. The Texans took a 7-0 lead into halftime, with the Jets being booed as they left the field.
Who is Malachi Corley?
Malachi Corley is a rookie wide receiver on the New York Jets.
How old is Malachi Corley?
Corley is 22 years old
When was Malachi Corley drafted?
Corley was drafted in the third round of the 2024 draft out of Western Kentucky.
How many touchdowns does Malachi Corley have?
Corley has not yet scored a touchdown in his NFL career. He entered Thursday's game having appeared in four games, making one catch for four yards.