J.J. Watt hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ the evening before Super Bowl LIV, and he crushed it like it was a quarterback.
Last night, J.J. Watt became the first NFL player since Eli Manning in 2012 to host “Saturday Night Live”.
No offense to Eli, but Watt crushed it much more.
Most of the skits were crisp and clever and he didn’t seem to miss a line — except for maybe his Texans’ defensive one and his offensive one as he pined about missing out on not being in this year’s Super Bowl.
“Would I really trade hosting SNL for the Super Bowl? … Yes, I definitely would.”
His opening monologue was a sweet shoutout to his family, especially his mother, as seen here:
From the zany to the unbelievable, the heartfelt to the inspiring, these were some of the best social media moments of 2019.
When it comes to a worthy sports moment, social media provides us with a unique feature: we can see a play, an iconic feat, a touching tribute, and so much more, from different angles and personalities—even the athletes themselves—with each one capturing and adding a different feel to the experience. The incredible moments you missed, for whatever reason, are then stored forever across multiple platforms, in scrollable, like-inducing infamy.
This year’s top moments were creations of legend, both topical and heavy on the funny. From Baby Yoda to Taco Tuesdays, World Cup dominance to Auburn’s shrubbery and a good-luck hockey dog named Barclay, it was quite the digital smorgasbord. So, let’s thumb up, and take a look back at some of the best sports social media moments of 2019.
The power of social media at the very tip-top best, the Hershey Bears—a minor league affiliate of the Washington Capitals—set a record during a wonderful cause. They reminded all fans that the annual “Teddy Bear Toss” was happening, and urged them to bring a stuffed animal to the game against the Hartford Wolf Pack. The toss, as advised by the team, was scheduled to occur after the first Bears’ goal. And when that puck hit the back of the net…what a sight—over 45,000 teddy bears rained down in a smile-inducing frenzy!
Few do social media better in their respective sports, and the entire sports world, than these 28 athletes.
While athletes becoming more than just talented individuals who help move the franchise in the right direction or add to the Gold medal count is not a new concept, social media’s rapid growth and capabilities have certainly changed the game. With the simple touch of a button, today’s top athletes can move the proverbial cultural needle, impacting interactions and the consumption of goods—even what we eat on Tuesdays.
But not all athletes who are on social media are created—or, in this case, retweeted—equally. International footballers currently reign supreme as some of the most influential, with a dash of tennis royalty and a wrestler who has inspired a ton of people to call that box of pizza they devoured their “cheat meal.” But when factoring in humanitarian efforts—as well as revenue from social posts and fan interactions—few ultimately do it better in their respective sports, and the entire sports world, than these 28 athletes.
LeBron James
(Getty Images)
Not many athletes—in any sport, in any part of the world—have taken advantage of social media better than LeBron James. His cultural impact as an athlete is nearly impossible to match, whether that be giving guys a reason to wear shorts with a suit, championing for the NCAA to change its act, or showcasing that an athlete can be “more.”
LeBron has some 97 million-plus followers across Instagram and Twitter, so when King James says #TacoTuesday…of course, there will be chants of the hashtag echoing at Staples Center or a social push for him to patent the phrase.
