NFL: Jevon Holland scores stunning 99-yard interception touchdown as Miami Dolphins defeat New York Jets

CNN
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When Jevon Holland intercepted a Hail Mary pass from Tim Boyle at the 1-yard line, a touchdown seemed beyond the realm of possibility, a play so bizarre it wasn’t even worth thinking about as the second quarter came to a close.

But Holland brought it back to the other end of the field, tearing through a turbulent defense, for a stunning 99-yard touchdown that was emblematic of… Miami Dolphins“Dominate when they are defeated New York Jets 34-13 in the first edition of the “Black Friday” game broadcast by Amazon.

When he threw the ball in the air, I thought it was more like a long field goal, like a drop. “So, I’m a punt returner, and people don’t know that, but I’m a punt returner,” Holland told Amazon Prime afterward, according to the NFL.

“Shout out to my defensive lineman, the guys out there getting in my way. I couldn’t have done it without all of you… I just got into the zone, man. I could smell it, and then as soon as I made that cut, I knew I was there, and then I had to make it happen.

It was the first pick-six Hail Mary since at least 2006, when ESPN stats started tracking those plays, and it doomed the Jets’ hopes of a comeback. They just intercepted Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa twice and cut the Dolphins’ lead to 10-6 after an interception touchdown by Brandin Echols.

But Holland’s impressive play only underscored the Dolphins’ superiority and set them on their way to a dominant win while the Jets didn’t score again until the end of the fourth quarter.

Tagovailoa finished with 243 yards and two interceptions, while Tyreek Hill finished with nine receptions for 102 yards and a league-high 10th touchdown which he celebrated by blowing a kiss and throwing the ball to his new wife.

Despite starting with quarterback Tim Boyle in place of Zach Wilson on the bench, the Jets’ offensive struggles continued. They had only played 22 plays before the fourth quarter, when the game was already over. In the end, Boyle finished with 179 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

Without an injured Aaron Rodgers, the Jets fell to 4-7 as their disappointing season continued, while the Dolphins remained atop the AFC East.

However, the Dolphins’ victory was marred by an Achilles injury to linebacker Jaelen Phillips who walked off the field in tears.

“I’m absolutely devastated, but I feel strong knowing that this is all part of God’s plan, and that I have an amazing team and support system around me,” he later wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I will come back stronger than ever. Fins up.”

Per ESPN, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said afterward that the injury “doesn’t look great, but we’ll find out more tomorrow (Saturday).”