#DoubleDoink immortalized Cody Parkey’s 43-yard field goal hitting upright, then crossbar, then bouncing out—eliminating Bears from playoffs (January 6, 2019, Wild Card vs Eagles, 16-15 final). The hashtag captured Chicago’s agony, the sound of metal-on-metal becoming meme, and kicker curses continuing.
The Kick
Bears led NFC North (12-4), hosted playoff game. Down 16-15, 10 seconds left, Parkey’s kick from left hash hit left upright, bounced to crossbar, fell harmlessly forward. #DoubleDoink documented the collective groan—Soldier Field’s 61K fans watching hope die in slow motion. The “doink-doink” sound became comedy for everyone except Chicago.
Aftermath & Blame
Parkey hit uprights five times during 2018 season before playoffs. #DoubleDoink tracked post-game reactions: Parkey’s “I’m not a failure” interview, teammates subtly (and not-so-subtly) blaming him, and Eagles’ Treyvon Hester potentially tipping the ball (changing narrative from Parkey choke to unlucky deflection). Bears cut Parkey that offseason.
Meme Legacy
“Doink” entered sports lexicon. #DoubleDoink became shorthand for heartbreak via special teams failure. The sound effect—metal-on-metal twice in rapid succession—played in highlight reels and became ironic celebration noise. For Bears, it joined 1985 Bears’ “one Super Bowl appearance in 100+ years” misery narrative.
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