It was an opportunity the New York Jets couldn’t waste.
Bill Belichick defended his decision to have the New England Patriots kick off to begin overtime Sunday against the Jets, saying he thought the unconventional move was the “best thing to do.” Once aware of that explanation, the Jets’ official Twitter account couldn’t help but chime in.
The whole situation was strange. Belichick told Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater to elect to kick if the Patriots won the overtime coin toss. Slater, who said he checked with Belichick several times before the toss, obliged, creating mass confusion for those questioning the head coach’s strategy.
New York scored a touchdown less than three minutes into overtime, resulting in a 26-20 victory for the Jets. There’s no telling whether the Patriots would have scored on their opening possession in OT if they opted to receive the football rather than kick, but clearly, Belichick’s outside-the-box approach backfired. And the Jets’ locker room apparently had some fun with New England’s mishap, too.
Cue the hysteria. And cue the trolling.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports Images
