It was the ESPYs Play of the Year for 2017, and it’s easy to understand why. With 12 seconds left in the Green Bay Packers’ 34-31 divisional round playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys on January 5, 2016, Aaron Rodgers completed one of the most insane passes you will ever see. Rodgers rolled to his left, hurled the ball downfield, and tight end Jared Cook caught the 35-yard pass to put the Packers in place for their game-winning field goal.
Aaron Rodgers to Jared Cook setting up the game winning field goal for the Packers against the Cowboys in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/OUcpVstL7p
— Main Team (@MainTeamSports2) May 11, 2022
You won’t see too many passes like that, but Washington’s Michacl Penix Jr. pulled off something very similar against USC’s wafer-thin defense on Saturday. With 11:54 left in the first half of an eventual 52-42 Washington win, Penix rolled to his left after heading to his right (he’s a lefty thrower) and hit tight end Devin Culp with a throw that had everybody shaking their heads.
The All-22 of that Michael Penix Jr. TD pass to TE Devin Culp looks even more ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/hpG7hpyLhE
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) November 5, 2023
We don’t know if this will win any awards, but it may just cement Penix as a first-round prospect in the 2024 NFL draft.