The Most Embarrassing Play in NFL History
On Thanksgiving 2012, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez ran directly into his offensive lineman Brandon Moore’s backside, fumbled the ball, which was returned for a touchdown by New England Patriots’ Steve Gregory. The “Butt Fumble”—occurring during a nationally televised holiday game against division rivals—became NFL’s most mocked play ever, earning #2 on NFL Network’s “Top 10 Worst Plays” and symbolizing the Jets’ dysfunction.
The Thanksgiving Disaster Context
The Jets entered Thanksgiving 2012 struggling at 4-6. Facing the 7-3 Patriots on national TV, they were down 14-0 in the second quarter when the play occurred. The Butt Fumble didn’t just happen—it happened during the worst 52-second span in NFL history.
Patriots scored touchdowns on three consecutive plays:
- BenJarvus Green-Ellis 7-yard TD run (14-0)
- Mark Sanchez Butt Fumble returned for TD (21-0) - 22 seconds later
- Patriots recovered kickoff fumble, scored immediately (28-0) - 30 seconds later
Final score: Patriots 49, Jets 7. The Butt Fumble occurred in the middle of this catastrophic sequence, on prime-time TV, viewed by 25+ million people.
The Play Itself
Sanchez dropped back to pass, found no receivers open, and scrambled right. Running at full speed, he collided face-first with his own offensive lineman’s rear end (Brandon Moore, who was blocking). The collision knocked Sanchez backward and jarred the ball loose.
Patriots’ Steve Gregory scooped the fumble and returned it 32 yards for touchdown. The sequence looked like something from a blooper reel, not an NFL game. Replays showed the absurdity from every angle—Sanchez running full-speed into his teammate’s butt and bouncing backward.
The Instant Mockery
“Butt Fumble” became immediate viral sensation:
- Twitter exploded with jokes and memes
- NFL Network replayed it constantly
- Sports Center featured it in every broadcast
- The play got its own Wikipedia page
- #ButtFumble trended for days
- Comedians used it in monologues
The Jets became laughingstock. Mark Sanchez became permanent punchline. Every Jets failure was compared to the Butt Fumble for years.
Mark Sanchez’s Career Impact
Sanchez never recovered professionally or reputationally. The Jets benched him later that season for Tim Tebow. Released in 2013, he bounced around NFL as backup (Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Redskins) through 2018, but was always “the Butt Fumble guy.”
In interviews, Sanchez displayed good humor about the play, acknowledging its absurdity. But the moment overshadowed his college success (USC national champion) and solid early NFL career (four playoff wins in first two seasons).
The Eternal Legacy
The Butt Fumble became:
- NFL Network’s most-replayed blooper
- Shorthand for franchise embarrassment (every Jets failure = “another Butt Fumble”)
- Sports’ perfect storm of comedy (national TV, rivalry game, holiday, three-TD collapse)
- Reminder that one play can define careers forever
The Jets erected a “monument” to it during a 2018 broadcast celebrating worst moments. The play transcended sports to become broader cultural shorthand for catastrophic failure.
Source: Game footage, NFL Network Top 10 rankings, Sanchez career statistics