Garrett Wilson had everyone experiencing flashbacks on Thursday night.
The Jets receiver made a sensational one-handed touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of a 21-13 win over the Texans, one that brought back visions of Odell Beckham’s legendary 2014 grab with the Giants.
Adding to the deja vu? Wilson’s 26-yard score came on the same MetLife Stadium turf — in the same exact end zone.
Naturally, comparisons between the two were going to happen with some quick to declare a winner.
“That’s the catch of the year,” cornerback D.J. Reed told SNY. “There ain’t even a catch that can come – that’s better than the Odell catch! For real. I ain’t never seen something like that live, bro. For that to be on Thursday Night Football, primetime. Garrett’s that guy.”
“It would rival the Odell catch,” Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said. “It was amazing.”
Sauce Gardner needed to keep watching the tape before making his verdict.
“That catch up there with Odell’s,” the star cornerback said. “I’m not just going to say it’s better than Odell’s, but it’s up there. I’ve really got to analyze Odell’s one more time. But that was a great catch, man.”
Wilson was just happy to be mentioned in the same breath as the 31-year-old wideout, now playing with the Miami Dolphins.
“Man, Odell’s, it was different,” Wilson said, grinning. “He got two feet down. The ball was fitting to land out of bounds. And it was Odell, man. It was Odell against the Cowboys. That was the one. So for it to even come up in that convo. I’m blessed. I’m honored.”
Here’s how the catches, which were both called by Al Michaels, stack up:
Garrett Wilson, Oct. 31, 2024
Aaron Rodgers, throwing from the Texans’ 35-yard line on third-and-19 found Wilson streaking toward the end zone from the and uncorked a pass that saw the receiver twist his body and fully extend his right arm to haul in the ball one-handed as Texans cornerback Kamari Lassiter was left to marvel.
He landed with his left foot, trying in vain to get get his right leg down inside the backline before he fell out of the end zone — with Ulbrich pouncing on the challenge as officials ruled it incomplete.
Upon closer inspection, Wilson got his shin down and it is the highlight everyone is talking about on Friday.
Odell Beckham Jr., Nov. 23, 2014
Beckham, a rookie, fended off Cowboys corner Brandon Carr’s interference while running down the right sideline in the “Sunday Night Football” matchup, turning back just in time to see Eli Manning’s hurl from just beyond the 50-yard line.
What happened next made Beckham a star: leaping up and reaching — behind his head — as he went almost horizontal, reeling in the ball with his outstretched fingertips and falling into the end zone for a jaw-dropping 46-yard score.
The Cowboys went on for a 31-28 loss, but the legend of Beckham was born.
