Monday night’s Lions-Packers broadcast on ESPN may have given us the most uncomfortable Grudenism yet.
After Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford completed a pass to T.J. Jones for a Lions first down in the third quarter, Jon Gruden went to the telestrator to break down the play for us. The former Super Bowl-winning head coach said how he calls this kind of throw — between the cornerback and safety — the “turkey hole.”
“Watch Stafford fit the ball in the hole between the corner and the safety; I don’t advise this at home. What a throw by Matt Stafford. I call that the turkey hole. Don’t ask me why.”
But Gruden wasn’t done, and ESPN even had a graphic with a play diagram ready to let Gruden tell us more about the turkey hole.
“Let me show you what the turkey hole is. It’s the turkey hole! The area when the corner rolls up, there’s a hole between the safety and the corner. It’s not an easy throw; you gotta be able to rifle it in there, Sean! I had a quarterback (Brett Favre) here in Green Bay who was able to do that at a high level. And now I’m watching one here in Matt Stafford who makes a living putting the ball right there in the turkey hole.”
The turkey hole commentary obviously got plenty of reaction on Twitter.
Jon Gruden showing America how to shove it in the Turkey Hole. Glad my kid is in bed.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) November 7, 2017
If Gruden says “turkey hole” again I might call it a night
— Michelle Bruton (@MichelleBruton) November 7, 2017
…….. has any football person ever heard "turkey hole" used as a piece of football terminology, besides Jon Gruden
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) November 7, 2017
If nothing else, we all just learned what a turkey hole throw is. Productive night no matter what happens .
— Mike Sullivan (@MikeSullivan) November 7, 2017
“Turkey Hole”
Help.— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/modeIcitizen/status/927736494239993856
it’s a shame that it’s too late to go as the turkey hole for halloween
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) November 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/Sam_Vecenie/status/927736657117249537
https://twitter.com/DanWetzel/status/927740032210948096
[ESPN]
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.