Getty New York Jets jokester Keelan Cole has gone viral for an odd decision in Week 17.
Nothing ever comes easy with the New York Jets. Even if a player hands you a touchdown ball after a celebration, you must now be wary that they’ll try and take it back.
You heard me right. A viral clip began circulating the Twittersphere after running back Ty Johnson rammed the ball in for six against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17.
Take a look in slow motion.
#TyJohnson #jets25 scores a 1 yd touchdown, gives the ball to a kid in the stands, #keekanCole #jets88 immediately jumps up,
tries to steal back the ball from the kid. kid protects the Rock #signhimup
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Keelan… WHY?
Sadly, this is another “only the Jets” type of moment as wide receiver Keelan Cole jumps up into the stands, appearing to palm at the ball being held by the unsuspecting fan.
Even more embarrassing, the small child in NYJ gear fends him off! I mean, credit him for a textbook running back protect-ball grip as Cole comes up empty on the strip.
The bizarre turn of events also made its rounds on Tik Tok as a hysterical NFL fan narrates the insanity (via Twitter).
Are we going to talk about Keelan Cole jumping into the stands and stealing this football from a kid? 😭
“And look at the kid! Look at the kid!” The man in the video screams with laughter as the wide-out gets his hand on the football.
The only question we fans can fathom in situations like this is — why? Cole is known to be one of the most charismatic and fun-loving members of the team, so this is especially surprising coming from him.
There had to be a reason. Some explanation to justify this cringe-worthy act, right?
UPDATE: Thankfully, there was! The fan involved did reach out to us and explain that this was indeed a practical joke from Cole, which happened to be broadcasted at the worst possible angle and moment for the Jets. Unfortunately, most around the sport will probably remember it in a negative light because of social media but in an effort to get the truth out, know that Cole had no intention of stealing the ball back from a child.
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Optimism on Cole Has Soured
As mentioned above, this was later verified as an ill-advised practical joke from a notably goofy athlete.
It had no career or record relevance toward Johnson — his fourth TD of the season, second on the ground. It had nothing to do with the famed TB12 on the opposite sideline. Just a joke from Cole that may never be recognized properly for what it was.
If this is a one-and-done campaign for the wide receiver, let’s hope he’s not remembered for this strange viral clip.
Cole is a free agent in 2022 and with the way things are going, he may not return. Earlier in the campaign, the former Jacksonville Jaguar seemed like a shoo-in for an extension as a glue guy who had been overperforming in a minor role.
Now, it’s hard to see any way he returns without taking a steep pay cut from his 2021 deal. Cole signed a one-year contract with the Jets worth $5.5 million last spring.
At the time, word was that GM Joe Douglas attempted to acquire the wide-out via trade, and that added fuel to the fire of a potential long-term marriage. I could still see Cole returning but not at $5.5 million per year.
He does seem to be well-liked in the locker room, providing decent depth in a pinch, but this past bunch of weeks without Corey Davis and Elijah Moore have proven that Cole is no more than a reserve. He has not surpassed two receptions in a game since Week 9 and his greatest number of yards over that span was 35 against Tampa Bay.
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