It was one of the most miraculous finishes in NFL playoff history.
Trailing by one point with 10 seconds remaining in the game and no timeouts left, the Minnesota Vikings needed a miracle. They were hoping to get into field-goal range and somehow get out of bounds to stop the clock. No one could’ve predicted what unfolded next – a miraculous 61-yard touchdown thanks in large part to a missed tackle by young Saints safety Marcus Williams:
The clock expired after the thrilling touchdown, and the crowd went wild. But even though the game was essentially over and the Saints players probably just wanted to curl up and hide, by rule they still had to go out and play defense for the extra point.
The very first player to take the field for the Saints was punter Thomas Morstead. Normally, he wouldn’t be out there in this particular situation, but given the chaos happening on the field not everyone was ready. Morstead, who had been hurt earlier in the game while making a touchdown saving tackle, hobbled back out onto the field, obviously in severe pain, in order to help his team complete the meaningless play.
A Vikings fan happened to notice the sportsmanship on display and was impressed. The Saints players could’ve understandably just head for the lockers and it wouldn’t have really mattered. Morstead didn’t think twice about it, only remarking that his team needed 11 guys out on the field and they were short, so he just went out there “and that was that.”
The fan posted what he saw on Reddit, and asked people to donate to Morstead’s foundation, What You Give Will Grow, an organization that focuses on pediatric cancer and also helping fund Child Life departments at various pediatric hospitals around the country. Vikings fans immediately fell in love with this idea, and over 250 people donated some $3,000 plus dollars.
Morstead was shocked, but grateful. So grateful, in fact, he ended up returning the favor and donating back to charities located in Minnesota.
There are countless charities doing great work in most communities across America, so individuals have many options from which to choose to donate their money. The gesture from Minnesota fans and from one NFL player may seem small, but it’s important to highlight because it reminds us of what is truly important. It’s a symbolic breaking down of a barrier created by society that causes division – it’s this type of action the world could use more of in today’s segregated political climate.
(h/t Kare11)