Late in the first half of Monday night’s preseason game between the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders, Antonio Gibson caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Sam Howell to put Washington up 10-7. The play itself, though, wasn’t as notable as the aftermath.
As Gibson was crossing the goal line, a fight broke out, Washington’s Nick Gates ran in and laid a massive hit on Baltimore’s Ar’Darius Washington, which started a fight. Like most football fights, there wasn’t much to it. The players and officials on the field swarmed into a pile in the middle of the end zone, either participating in or trying to break up what didn’t amount to much more than a shoving match. Or, at least, almost all of the players and officials swarmed to the shoving match.
Because while nearly everyone on the field was focused on the extra-curricular activities, which ultimately resulted in offsetting penalties, Washington lineman Sam Cosmi was a few yards removed from the tension — doing The Griddy.
"And Sam Cosmi is doing The Griddy"
Put that high on the list of things nobody ever expected to hear Joe Buck say. pic.twitter.com/xBU1ttCDBu
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 22, 2023
The Griddy caught the eye of not only Joe Buck, but fans watching the game.
Sam Cosmi Griffey. Hookem https://t.co/EhlY8PT79s
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) August 22, 2023
More proof that the griddy has totally jumped the shark https://t.co/NbPKxSW2Xn
— Jon Iaccino (@ji711) August 22, 2023
Not everyday get to see one lineman deliver cheap shot and another do the Griddy. pic.twitter.com/5BLpNtdG89
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) August 22, 2023
https://t.co/Oi7Rq2eDph pic.twitter.com/qCscXCesd7
— JP Acosta (Pug Dederson Stan Acct) (@acosta32_jp) August 22, 2023
The scene was actually reminiscent of when Jeff Hardy made his debut for All Elite Wrestling in 2022. Hardy’s allies, including his brother, Matt, were fighting in the ring and generally getting the worst of the action. Hardy’s music hit, prompting a huge pop from the crowd.
But before Jeff ran to the ring to even the odds, he had to dance.
Before the game, Cosmi both downplayed the significance of Baltimore’s 24-game preseason winning streak and said that the Commanders would end it. Even though the game was far from over at this point, we suppose we can’t blame him for enjoying it. Though at 6-foot-6 and over 300 pounds Cosmi’s teammates might appreciate his help in future shoving matches.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]