This Malcolm Roach play has to be a first in NFL history

This has to be a first, right?

During the Denver Broncos‘ game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, defensive lineman Malcolm Roach lost his helmet during a play.

Typically that wouldn’t be a problem, he could simply retrieve it and put it back on before the next play. In this particular instance, however, the Raiders were rushing up to the line to snap the ball so they could spike it and stop the clock. Roach couldn’t go back across the line to retrieve his helmet and risk being penalized for lining up offsides at the snap.

So the lineman waited at the line while a teammate — it appears to be linebacker Justin Strnad — grabbed his helmet and ran back across the line. Strnad tossed the helmet to Roach and he got it on just before the snap.

Vic Lombardi of AltitudeTV captured the moment and shared it on his Twitter/X page:

Losing his helmet was incidental and he got it back on before play resumed, so Roach was not penalized for the incident. Roach finished the day with three tackles and a sack in a 29-19 win.

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