Bears' Darnell Mooney Disappoints NFL Fans by Dropping GW Hail Mary TD vs. Browns | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Sophia Edwards After the Chicago Bears blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to allow the Cleveland Browns to go in front with a late field goal, they still had the chance to win the game when they got into position for a Hail Mary pass.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields avoided pressure and rolled out to his left before launching a rocket that dropped from the sky into the crowd of players in the end zone.
The ball was tipped and appeared to perfectly land in the hands of Chicago receiver Darnell Mooney, but he failed to hold on and it bounced off his foot into the air, allowing Cleveland safety D'Anthony Bell to come up with the interception and seal the 20-17 victory for the Browns.
NFL @NFLHOLY OH MY GOD <a href="">
The disastrous play by Mooney capped a forgettable outing for him, as he finished with just two catches for 14 yards despite tying for the team lead with eight targets.
Fans on social media didn't hold back their disappointment in Mooney's failure to deliver when it mattered most in Sunday's game:
Bill Barnwell @billbarnwellI'm not sure there's any better (and totally unfair) summation of the Justin Fields era in Chicago than Fields hitting Darnell Mooney in the hands on a Hail Mary, only for Mooney to literally kick the ball away
Brad Spielberger, Esq. @PFF_BradPretty much sums up Darnell Mooney's season right there unfortunately
Jacob Infante @jacobinfante24Darnell Mooney was sooooo close to catching that man <a href="">
The Athletic @TheAthleticDavid Njoku was on the edge of his seat watching the Bears' failed Hail Mary 😅🚽 <a href="">
Mike Greenberg @EspngreenyDarnell Mooney had it right in his hands! <a href="">#Bears</a>
Paul Dehner Jr. @pauldehnerjrHow did Darnell Mooney not catch that Hail Mary?! Incredible. <br><br>Browns survive.
JPAFootball @jasrifootballDARNELL MOONEY HAD THE HAIL MARY IN HIS HANDS<br><br>MAN.<a href="">
Jomboy Media @JomboyMediaThe game-winning Hail Mary was sitting in Darnell Mooney's lap <a href="">
mark @MLaw_1Darnell Mooney <a href="">
Ben Brown 🌻 @BenBrownPLDarnell Mooney you HAVE to catch this <a href="">
Catching Vibes @ForeverVibing_Darnell Mooney fumbled the bag this year. Good luck in Jacksonville next season.
Backpack Sway 🔜 I'm Back 2 @BackpackSwayDarnell Mooney genuinely makes me depressed. At least 1 drop a year for a game winning TD coming from here and it's starting to become hard to ignore 😭
Mooney isn't the sole reason for Chicago's loss, as he wasn't the reason the Browns scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. However, this was a winnable game for a Bears team that was seeking its first three-game win streak since the 2020 season.
After falling to 5-9, Chicago is expected to miss the playoffs for the third straight year. The team will try to bounce back next Sunday when it hosts the Arizona Cardinals.