In all likelihood, the “buttfumble” will never go away, but for ESPN at least the infamous lowlight by the Jets’ No. 6 is being given the deep six.
ESPN announced on Friday morning that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez’s play from last year’s Thanksgiving night game against the Patriots will no longer be a candidate for “Not Top 10: Worst of the Worst,” a weekly series on SportsCenter which highlights embarrassing moments in sports. In the infamous play, Sanchez ran into the backside of former Jets guard Brandon Moore and fumbled the ball, which the Patriots recovered and scooped up for a touchdown. Almost immediately, the “buttfumble” became synonymous for the Jets’ 6-10 season.
“We are retiring it this week due to the start of a new NFL season, and the feeling that it was time to start fresh,” said senior coordinating producer Mark Summer in a statement released by ESPN. “The ‘buttfumble’ has won the ‘Not Top 10’ each week since last Thanksgiving, and we’re not sure anything could top it.”
In the “Not Top 10” segment, the worst play from the week before is pitted against the worst moment from the current week, with fans casting votes online to determine which play was the worst. The Sanchez moment won for 40 straight weeks, a record run for the segment.
Farewell, buttfumble. You won’t be missed.
Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
