Remembering the Buttfumble: A Patriots Thanksgiving Tradition

This year, for so many reasons, has been a complete anomaly. Nothing has gone the way we’re used to it going, and most of our worlds have been turned completely upside down.

Not only that, but we’re in the middle of a global pandemic.

The 2020 Patriots aren’t what we’ve come to expect out of a franchise that has been the most dominant in professional sports for the past two decades. They’re all but out of playoff contention, they haven’t won more than two games in a row all season, and they’re incredibly streaky. Where we’re usually turning our attention to that coveted #1 seed this time of year, we’re instead starting to think about he offseason and who the Patriots can acquire in the draft and via free agency to get them back on track in 2021. Based on what has been happening on the field this year, you might think we don’t have a whole lot in terms of football-related happiness to be thankful for.

And of course, you’d be wrong.

Because as Patriots fans, no matter how bad it gets or how bad it may get in the future, we have something that no other fanbase has. And if I’m being honest, we have something that no other fanbase will ever have. Even if New England never so much as sniffs a playoff berth for the rest of time, even if this team becomes a perennial loser, we’ll still be able to spend the fourth Thursday of every November from now until eternity celebrating one of the greatest moments in NFL — nay, in American — nay, in WORLD — history:

The Buttfumble.

It was eight years ago, but it feels like just last week. Pats/Jets, Thanksgiving night, Mark Sanchez, Brandon Moore, Vince Wilfork, Steve Gregory, a big butt, a big fumble, and a big touchdown. An absolute epic beatdown on national television on the 2nd most American holiday on the calendar. Almost a full decade later, no other sports blooper has even come close to dumplicating what happened on November 22, 2012 when Mark Sanchez collided with Brandon Moore’s patoot. That it happened against the Patriots, on Thanksgiving, in a game that saw the Patriots score 21 points in 52 seconds....it’s as sweet as any slice of pumpkin pie any of us will ever eat.

So as we all sit down to whatever will constitute Thanksgiving dinner this year, let’s all take a moment (like I need to remind you) to be thankful not only for the past 20 years of Patriots fandom, but for this wonderful, amazing, boootylicious play.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. And a Good Buttfumble to all.