Jets rookie Malachi Corley drops the ball before crossing the goal line and scores his first career TD

You would think by now that footballers of all levels would know not to drop the ball before crossing the goal line.

DeSean Jackson did it in 2008 with the Philadelphia Eagles and it became an instant blooper that was played over and over again. Yet the players still do it.

New York Jets rookie Malachi Corley had to feel sick about it Thursday night. In his second NFL career, he took an end-around and ran 18 yards against the Houston Texans for what would have been his first career touchdown. It is an important life moment. But Corley dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.

A review showed that Corley released the ball before scoring, but there had to be a conclusion to the play since it was live. Had the Jets picked it up, it would have been a touchdown. But the ball slowly rolled out in the back of the end zone. The Texans took over on a touchback.

Corley made a mistake and it’s one he’ll live with for a long time. Instead of the third-round draft pick celebrating a huge accomplishment, he was on the sidelines with angry coaches and teammates as viewers took to social media to talk about what a dumb mistake the rookie made. It’s a mistake you’ll see here and there when it’s practically unforgivable at any time, especially after Jackson’s infamous mistake 16 years ago.

One day Corley might laugh about it. Thursday was not that day.