Mark Sanchez’s butt fumble turns 1: Relive a classic NFL moment

Happy birthday, butt fumble!

Hard to believe, but it’s already been a year since the most notorious play in Mark Sanchez’s up-and-down tenure as the New York Jets starting quarterback took place.

In that short amount of time, the phrase has become a part of our national consciousness. Just type the word “butt” into Google. What’s the first thing that comes up? “Butt fumble” -- ahead of “butterfly effect,” “butternut squash soup” (a tough one to beat this time of year), “butt workouts” and even “butt implants.”

The play was voted “Worst of the Worst” on ESPN for 40 straight weeks before being retired.

Sanchez was already in the middle of a disastrous year when the turnover to end all turnovers occurred in a 49-19 loss to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving Day 2012. Two games later, he found himself benched in favor of third-stringer Greg McElroy.

The next year, the Jets picked West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith in the second round of April’s draft. Sanchez appeared to have beaten the rookie out for the starting job in training camp but suffered a season-ending shoulder injury during the preseason.

With Smith having the team in contention for a wild-card spot and Sanchez set to count $13.1 million against the salary cap if he’s on the roster next season, it would appear that the former USC quarterback won’t be back on the field in a Jets uniform.

But we’ll always have the butt fumble to remember him by.

Obviously, Friday is also the anniversary of a much more significant event in our nation’s history. But if you need something a little more lighthearted to get through the day, you can check out the butt fumble in all its glory in the video above.

And if that’s not enough, here’s another lovely version with cartoon sound effects.

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