Linemen are often the overlooked cogs in a given game as they mostly take a backseat to quarterbacks, skill position players, and star defensive players. That said, two took center stage and made some NFL history during the Buccaneers blowout win over the Giants on "Monday Night Football."
The first leg of this momentous night for the big men came in the second quarter of this primetime matchup when Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass to left tackle Andrew Thomas. The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder high-pointed the football on a second-and-goal throw from the 5-yard line and was able to make the scoring grab that evened the score at 10 apiece.
ANDREW THOMAS.
— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2021
WHAT A CATCH BY THE BIG MAN. #TogetherBlue @allforgod_55
📺: #NYGvsTB on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/aAVkp2ihhy pic.twitter.com/tdFUw9sj58
Later in the game, it was Buccaneers defensive lineman Steve McLendon who was able to bring in a poorly thrown ball by Daniel Jones for an interception (the first of his 12-year career) in the third quarter.
12 seasons in the NFL. First INT for the big man. @SteveMcLendon96 #GoBucs
— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2021
📺: #NYGvsTB on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/aAVkp2ihhy pic.twitter.com/4iRqC0gZS6
This marks the first time in the NFL's 102-season history in which two 300-pound linemen -- one offensive and one defensive -- caught a touchdown and an interception in the same game.
As an aside from Thomas being a part of NFL history, he is also the first Giants offensive lineman to record a receiving touchdown since Carl Fennema in 1948. Meanwhile, McLendon -- at 35 years, 323 days old -- is the second-oldest player in league history at the time he recorded his first career interception.