Rookie Josh Thompson made one of the more impressive plays of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ third preseason game with an expertly batted ball on a punt that was about to bounce into the end zone. The play came about midway through the third quarter and set the Pittsburgh Steelers back to the two yard line to start their second drive of the half.
Check out this slick play that showed off the undrafted rookie’s excellent body control and awareness as a gunner in punt coverage:
Putting the special in special teams!#PITvsJAX on FOX pic.twitter.com/9OaHfVL7V6
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 21, 2022
This heady play, paired with the Jaguars’ talented defense, put the team in a position to force Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph to take an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety. The safety put Jacksonville back on top in scoring, but only by a single point, so their work is far from over.
Thompson is likely still on the outside looking in for a spot on the final 53-man roster, though this play will certainly give the coaching staff something to think about as they cut down their roster. Special teams versatility is a major plus for any fringe roster candidate, and if they think he’ll help them win games as a gunner, they may decide to keep him around.
For now, though, this play will serve as a key highlight in Thompson’s portfolio of game-changing plays and could serve him well in the future as he looks to carve out a career in the NFL.