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When you “Moss” someone in football, it means you made a jaw-dropping, jump-ball catch over your defender. If someone “got Mossed,” it means their defender made a highlight-worthy jump ball catch over them.
“Mossed” is a term that has gained significant traction in the football world over the past decade. It's named after Randy Moss, a Hall of Fame receiver who played in the NFL from 1998 to 2012 and was renowned for his ability to make astounding catches, often over defenders who seemed in perfect position to make an interception or break up the play.
In football terminology, “mossing” is used to describe a situation in which a receiver catches a ball over a defender, usually by jumping higher than them and physically dominating them, just as Randy Moss often did. It's a verb that embodies the physical prowess and skill required to beat an opponent in a one-on-one aerial duel.
“Mossed” is often used by commentators and fans to describe a particularly impressive catch. It's so popular that NFL Countdown has an entire segment called “YOU GOT MOSSED!”
“Mossing” someone is a moment of individual brilliance that often swings the momentum of a game, generating excitement among fans. In essence, when a player is “mossed,” they have been outjumped, outfought, and essentially embarrassed by the offensive player, much like what Randy Moss used to do to his opponents.
The term is typically used in scenarios where the pass is contested—that is, when both the offensive and defensive players have an equal chance at making a play on the ball. To “moss” the defender, the receiver would leap, often extending his body to its full length, to make the catch despite the defender's best efforts.
As an example, say the Philadelphia Eagles are playing the New York Jets. Sauce Gardner has great positioning on AJ Brown but Jalen Hurts throws the ball to Brown anyway. Hurts throws the ball a few feet above Brown and Gardner so both make a jump to try and catch it. Brown ultimately makes the contested catch, “Mossing” Gardner.
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