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There are few things more embarrassing in life these days than getting hit with a “Community Notes” edit on Twitter.
The function serves as a fact checker, of sorts, and normally results in the original poster ending up with some egg on their face.
On Thursday night, that original poster was the New York Jets.
TD @CorleyMalachi!!#HOUvsNYJ on @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/PSt7uVeRru
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 1, 2024
The Jets posted a video of rookie Malachi Corley’s 19-yard touchdown run against the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football.
It was Corley’s first career NFL touchdown and gave New York a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. But there was one major problem.
That touchdown never happened.
Corley, the first pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, accidentally dropped the ball before crossing the goal line. The ball bounced out of the back of the end zone and, upon review, the play was ruled a touchback with possession going to the Texans.
This is where the Community Notes come in.
The Jets never deleted the tweet acknowledging Corley’s score. So someone had to check the facts. The tweet remains up with a note that reads, simply “This was not a touchdown” and includes a link to the NFL rules for such a situation.
Thankfully for New York, it won the game anyway, 21-13.
Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich addressed the situation after the game.
“Definitely frustrated to be honest, and angry at the same time,” Ulbrich said of the play. “But what an amazing opportunity for this kid to grow and learn from. I promise you,10 years from now when he’s still playing in this league, that will never happen again.”
What did he tell Corley in the moment?
“First of all, ‘You can’t do that.’ And second of all, ‘You owe us one,’” he said.
The Jets aren’t the first NFL-affiliated account to get hit with a Community Note. And they won’t be the last. But it’s still a little weird that they didn’t just delete the tweet.