In the third quarter of a Thursday Night Football game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph called a play that had defensive tackle Malcolm Roach drop back into coverage.
Hilariously, it worked.
“Malcolm Roach nearly had an INT in coverage 15 yards down the field LOL,” Zac Stevens of DNVR wrote on social media.
Ryan McFadden of the Denver Post said the play “might be the highlight of the night.”
“I can’t stop laughing at VJ truly going [expletive] it mode and throwing Malcolm Roach into coverage and it worked,” a fan said on Twitter/X. “He really became a defensive madman after the Dolphins massacre.”
Check it out:
Gotta love a defensive tackle in coverage 12 yards down field lol. Malcom Roach does everything pic.twitter.com/v5R3ITFnZo
— ThatsGoodSports (@BrandonPerna) October 18, 2024
Everyone had similar reactions: “Malcolm Roach in coverage😭.”
Another fan wrote: “MALCOLM ROACH FOR PREZ.”
Everyone loved his celebration:
This is now my favorite GIF pic.twitter.com/XUU2haRuMi
— LTB Podcast (@LTB_Muse) October 18, 2024
Even the Broncos’ official account chimed in with a meme:
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 18, 2024
“Malcolm Roach cele has me cryin,” one fan wrote. Added another fan: “Bro pulled the strap 😭.”
It looked like a play straight out of a video game.
“Me when I play madden and college football 25 🤣,” a fan commented. “gotten so many picks with linemen.”
Roach was asked about his celebration after the game.
“Yeah, it’s a little joke,” Roach explained. “We’ve been — I always like to talk trash with the DBs and tell them I’m a real DB at heart. So when I got the opportunity and made the play with the PBU, you know I just had to give them something. And I was over there by the sideline.”
Had to ask Malcolm Roach about his hilarious seatbelt celebration postgame tonight ⬇️❌
“I always like to talk trash to the DBs tell them I’m a real DB at heart…so I had to give them something” 😂😂 #9sports https://t.co/zmlOgZZRDQ pic.twitter.com/o3PYTa0aEU
— Scotty Gange (@Scotty_G6) October 18, 2024
Roach was officially credited with a pass breakup, giving him this stat line in a 33-10 victory: one tackle, one PBU. That’ll do.