New York Jets third-round rookie Malachi Corley made the most embarrassing play in football during Week 9 of the NFL season.
Both he and the team can't wait to get back on the field and respond to that play - and the comments made following that.
Corley's fumble before he hit the end zone for his first NFL touchdown was an important lesson for the Western Kentucky product. While he didn't see the field for the rest of the remaining 21-13 win over the Houston Texans, the Jets aren't willing to give up on him just yet.
And with a rookie like Corley, that mindset is so important.
"We have a lot of trust in Malachi," offensive coordinator Todd Downing said. "I think the biggest lesson for a young player like Malachi is that the smallest detail can become the biggest issue if you're not on your P's and Q's. I expect he'll bounce back, and I know he's handled it the right way with his teammates and in the meeting rooms, and we're excited to see what he can do in the future."
No one will defend Corley's mistake. It's a boneheaded play that will go down in the history books as similar to Desean Jackson's blunder in Week 2 of his rookie season in 2008.
But Jackson ended up becoming one of the greatest deep-threat wide receivers in league history. The upside on Corley is still there - even if the Jets haven't figured out a way to tap into that yet.
It's a very good sign Corley doesn't appear to be in the team's dog house. How he responds on the field will be extremely important to determine his mental toughness though going forward.
