Former New England Patriots stars Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski fondly reminisced about a memorable Thanksgiving moment ahead of the holiday.
In Thursday’s Dudes On Dudes podcast, the former teammates discussed the Patriots’ 2012 Thanksgiving victory over the New York Jets, which featured the notorious “butt fumble.” The play unfolded when Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork pressured Jets guard Brandon Moore, causing Moore’s backside to collide with Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who lost the ball. Patriots safety Steven Gregory recovered the fumble and scored a touchdown. Edelman praised Wilfork’s performance, highlighting how his dominance contributed to the fumble.
“He drove his guy back so far that the quarterback got hit by the guy’s butt, causing the fumble,” Edelman said. “It was just a f–king crazy game.”
Gronkowski added that Wilfork was rewarded with a turkey leg after the game for his role in the fumble and thoroughly enjoyed it.
“He got a turkey leg post-game for his contribution to the butt fumble,” Gronkowski said. “He ate it all.”
The Patriots won the game 49-19, improving to a 7-3 record. They finished the season 12-4 and advanced to the AFC Championship, while the Jets fell to 4-6 and ended the season 6-10.
In the years after that game, the Patriots went on to win three more Super Bowls with Edelman and Gronkowski, continuing to dominate the AFC. Meanwhile, the Jets have been in a playoff drought since 2010, with the “butt fumble” remaining a defining moment of the Sanchez era.
