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NFL Wrap: Hidden helmet detail goes viral; Freakish grabs stun; NFL gun’s costly error

The NFL world has lost its collective mind after an $87 million star made a bold on field statement without even opening his mouth.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
3 min read
December 14, 2020 - 4:27PM
Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown wears a helmet featuring a raised fist design.
Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown wears a helmet featuring a raised fist design.

Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Trent Brown has gone viral after the star’s helmet did the talking.

Brown was lining up for just his third game of the season after he was hospitalised in November after a medical error.

A pre-game IV drip caused an air embolism, something that could have been a fatal error if it hadn’t been treated quickly.

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But the six-year NFL veteran and Pro Bowler, who signed a four-year $US66 million ($A87 million) deal with the club in 2019 made a bold statement on his face mask.

With the NFL intrinsically linked to the Black Lives Matter movement after former quarterback Colin Kaepernick sparked a furore be kneeling during the national anthem, Brown unveiled his Black Lives Matter face mask with a raised fist in the centre of his mask, with America going nuts for the move.

A post on Twitter from Sportscenter, at time of writing, had nearly 56,000 likes and 9000 retweets.

However, the move could be illegal under equipment regulations of the NFL, which states “players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office”.

“The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns,” Article 8. Personal messages in the equipment, uniforms and player appearance section of the NFL rule book states.

“Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and non-controversial; must not be worn for more than one football season; and if approved for use by a specific team, must not be worn by players on other teams in the League.”

But regardless, Brown’s message got across.

‘HOLY S***’: FREAKISH PICKS STUN NFL

Play on the field saw three stunning intercepts that had fans losing their minds.

The first and arguably most stunning was Colts cornerback Kenny Moore who stopped the Raiders with an insane piece of athleticism.

Back tracking, the 175cm Moore was looking at the man and the ball, leaping for a one-handed grab before twisting his hand back to complete the catch as he was falling.

What a grab from Kenny Moore.
What a grab from Kenny Moore.

Watch in the video in the player above

It stopped the Raiders from hitting the lead and the Colts went on to win 44-27.

Xavien Howard of the Dolphins did similar on a Patrick Mahome pass to deny the Chiefs.

It was a near identical play an a spectacular grab in front of Tyreek Hill.

It didn’t stop the Chiefs from winning 33-27.

The Jets’ Marcus Maye’s was less spectacular, as he knocked the ball up for himself before taking the grab.

And it was fairly fruitless in a 40-3 thrashing by the Seahawks.

MAHOMES MADNESS — FOR THE WRONG REASONS

Patrick Mahomes doesn’t do anything that’s not spectacular.
Patrick Mahomes doesn’t do anything that’s not spectacular.

Patrick Mahomes’ has done so much within three seasons most people would be happy with his highlight reel for a career.

But the Super Bowl champion QB added one to his lowlights with a horrible play against the Dolphins.

In a moment of “what was he thinking”, Mahomes was pressured by the Dophins defence running from his own 33-yard line back to his own 3-yard line — going from third-and-12 to fourth-and-42 — before he was sacked.

Next Gen Stats revealed it was the second most yards lost on a sack in the past two decades.

Originally published as NFL Wrap: Hidden helmet detail goes viral; Freakish grabs stun; NFL gun’s costly error

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/american-sports/nfl/nfl-wrap-hidden-helmet-detail-goes-viral-freakish-grabs-stun-nfl-guns-costly-error/news-story/048ed4b63fbdbca77530f8996adf6d30