https://twitter.com/gifdsports/status/949786718277918721
For the most part, the Titans have been getting trounced by the Chiefs in their AFC Wild Card matchup, leaving the fate of Tennessee’s head coach up in the air. The Chiefs have made key defensive stops and a brilliant pick-six by Marcus Peters put the Chiefs up big at halftime. But now, a freak play has made this pivotal matchup a two-score game. Somehow, Mariota threw a pass, had it tipped, and caught it for a touchdown.
Yes, he technically threw a touchdown pass to himself. Even the math-wizards who add up every inch seem to agree:
For those asking, yes, that Mariota play was both a pass and receiving TD according to Yahoo scoring. Proof: pic.twitter.com/SPZmDUCRoT
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) January 6, 2018
It’s also a fascinating little piece of history. Mariota is the first player to “throw a touchdown to himself” in over 20 years. It seems like it’s happened more recently than that? Guess not.
Marcus Mariota is the first player to catch a touchdown pass from himself since Brad Johnson in Week 7, 1997
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) January 6, 2018
It’s a lucky bounce the Titans needed to keep their playoff run alive, but also shows that they need every star to align and somehow fall into their lap in order to make something work today. It hasn’t been pretty.
https://twitter.com/ProSportsExtra/status/949774793099890688
#Titans Marcus Mariota got destroyed by #Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson pic.twitter.com/iAFuQgqpjc
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 6, 2018
So, even if the Titans get eliminated and end up with a new coach after a possible Mike Mularkey firing, they’ll at least be able to hang their hat on the fact that their QB threw a touchdown to himself against a good defense, right? Right.
