FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Malachi Corley’s first NFL touchdown put him on highlight reels around the country and got social media buzzing.
Because it didn’t count.
The New York Jets rookie wide receiver celebrated too early by dropping the football just before he crossed the goal line on what first appeared to be a 19-yard TD run last Thursday night in the team’s 21-13 win over Houston. But the score was overturned after a replay review. It was ruled a fumble after an 18-yard run and a touchback and turnover because it rolled out of the end zone.
“I was relishing the moment just as much as the entire MetLife (Stadium) was,” Corley said Wednesday while speaking to reporters for the first time since the game. “And when I seen it on the playback screen is the first time I seen it.”
He was stunned. So were the fans and his Jets teammates. And his touchdown turnover was about to give him some notoriety. Corley estimated he scored “200-plus touchdowns in my life” and it was the first time that happened to him.
“My emotions were still extremely elevated, just from the fact that for me, I just scored my first NFL touchdown,” he said. “You know, that moment got pulled back from me. But obviously, you know, my teammates really rallied around me, told me that they’d get the ball back for us. I felt really good after that.”
For many casual NFL fans, Corley’s gaffe — especially in front of a prime-time TV audience — was the first time they saw him play. And it might stick with them for a while, although Corley insists that isn’t how he’ll ultimately be remembered.
“It’s not a defining moment for me because imagine if I broke three tackles, you know, juked the guy and then I dropped the ball 1 yard in front of the end zone,” he said. “You still did that same play, you know what I mean? But holding the ball 1 more yard is not a coaching point for anything.”
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said after the game he told Corley, a third-round pick out of Western Kentucky, he needed to hold onto the ball and “you owe us one.”
Fortunately for Corley, the Jets were able to win without the young receiver’s second-quarter score that would’ve given New York a 7-0 lead.
“Yeah, I was really grateful that we won the game because it could’ve gotten really bad for me if we had lost or something like that,” he said. “Just for the way that our guys rallied after that happened, for us to put as many points on the board as we did without that touchdown, you know, it was great for us.”
Corley, who has one 4-yard catch in five games this season, could see more snaps on offense now that Mike Williams was traded to Pittsburgh before the NFL’s trade deadline Tuesday. And if he scores again, Corley knows exactly what he’ll do.
“I’d probably hold onto the ball all the way to the sideline and give it to Coach Brick,” he said with a smile. “Let him know that I owed him that one.”
Despite the mistake, Corley insisted he wasn’t embarrassed.
“No, not at all,” he said. “You know, you just take things with a grain of salt. You play the game for a long time, you’ve seen a lot more or less embarrassing things happen on the field. So for me, it was just a learning experience overall. Still extremely excited to run across the end zone line and be able to jet around the field and do all that type of stuff.
“So it was fun overall.”
Injuries
QB Aaron Rodgers, dealing with knee and hamstring ailments, fully participated in practice on a Wednesday for the first time in several weeks. “Feels good to be able to practice on a Wednesday,” he said. “I love to practice.” … CB Michael Carter II (back), OL Jake Hanson (hamstring), RT Morgan Moses (knee), LB C.J. Mosley (neck), LG John Simpson (groin), LT Tyron Smith (vet rest day), DL Solomon Thomas (knee) and RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) all sat out. … S Ashtyn Davis (concussion) and LB Chazz Surratt (hamstring) were limited.