NFL Week 7 Top Viral Moments: Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers struggle
Week 7 of the NFL season brought another marquee slate Sunday. Bucs-Panthers and Packers-Commanders highlighted the early window of games on FOX, while the afternoon will bring a Chiefs-49ers Super Bowl rematch for America's Game of the Week.
Here are some of the top moments that got people buzzing on social media throughout Friday's action.
National Tight End Day!
It's the perfect day for the 49ers' George Kittle to face off against the Chiefs' Travis Kelce with FOX Sports' Greg Olsen on the call. The three tight ends will all celebrate National Tight End day together at Levi's Stadium. Olsen caught up with both Kelce and Kittle pregame, and later presented broadcast partner Kevin Burkhardt with a shirt to dub him an "honorary tight end" for the day.
Kittle also had his own hype video for the occasion:
Not to be left out, Shannon Sharpe and his new FOX Sports teammate Rob Gronkowski got in on the National Tight End Day festivities as well:
Commanders are vibing!
The Commanders became the second team in as many weeks to upset the Packers in Lambeau Field, hanging on for a 23-21 victory to drop Green Bay to 3-4 for the first time in the Aaron Rodgers era. Washington players seemed to enjoy themselves as they sent Packers fans home disappointed.
Mascot does WHAT?!?
The Atlanta Falcons fell short against the Cincinnati Bengals to drop to 3-4 on the season. But maybe the Falcons have discovered their star linebacker of the future – their mascot, Freddie the Falcon:
Freddie showed tackling skills and good awareness to push the ball carrier out before he crossed the goal line but also started a brawl with a late hit, showing he still has some work to do if he wants to earn a roster spot.
Brady, Rodgers show frustration during struggles
It's not a good day to be a GOAT.
Both Rodgers' Packers and Tom Brady's Buccaneers found themselves trailing late in the second half against struggling Commanders and Panthers squads, respectively.
Adding insult to injury is the Commanders starting backup Taylor Heinicke at quarterback in place of the injured Carson Wentz, and the Panthers playing their first game since trading star running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers in a major rebuilding move Thursday.
The Buccaneers eventually lost to the Panthers 21-3, dropping Brady to 3-4 to start a season for the first time since 2002.
Dak overcomes early issues, Cooper Rush chatter
Dak Prescott got off to a slow start in his return from a Week 1 thumb injury despite playing a struggling Detroit Lions defense, thanks in part to a costly fumble by receiver Noah Brown. That prompted some predictable calls for the return of backup Cooper Rush, who led the Dallas Cowboys to a 4-1 record in Prescott's absence – including some tongue-in-cheek ones from FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd and David Helman.
But Dak and the Cowboys pulled away late to finish off the Lions and advance to 5-2 on the season.