In the entire history of professional football, only two rookies have ever had two sacks and a pick-six in the same game.
Until now.
Seattle Seahawks rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon, the consensus No. 1 player at his position in this draft class (certainly at Touchdown Wire), has had an amazing game against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Witherspoon got his two sacks in the first half…
A 🥄 sack.
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/ooxTXlB4D2
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 3, 2023
Two sacks and it's only halftime.#GoHawks x @budlight pic.twitter.com/tUGSb28Xmv
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 3, 2023
…and then, for good measure, he picked Daniel Jones off and returned the pick 97 yards for a touchdown.
The Mannings were unimpressed by Mr. Jones’ throw.
"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no." – Eli Manning on Daniel Jones' interception returned 97 yards for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/auFeLXiyFm
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 3, 2023
Per Pro Football Reference, the only other two rookie defenders to pull this off were San Francisco 49ers linebacker Todd Shell in 1984, and New England Patriots linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer in 1989.
Turns out, Witherspoon made a bit more history on Monday night.
Devon Witherspoon of the @Seahawks is the only NFL player (rookie or not) to have 2.0+ sacks and a 95+ yard TD in the same game (since sacks became an official stat for defenders in 1982).
No other rookie has had 2.0+ sacks and a 95+ yard TD over the course of an entire season. pic.twitter.com/RNQINsUckm
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 3, 2023