The last time T.J. Houshmandzadeh was thrown an NFL pass it was a dropped ball that ultimately led to the Baltimore Ravens loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers in last year’s playoffs. It also led to the Ravens cutting him during the off season and no other team wanting to take a chance on the aging 34-year-old wide out. That is until this Tuesday, when Houshmandzadeh signed with the Oakland Raiders and re-united with both quarterback Carson Palmer and Coach Hue Jackson who all were part of the Cincinnati Bengals in the mid-2000s.
Houshmandzadeh said he’s ready to move on past the infamous ‘drop’ and swears he doesn’t usually have butterfinger tendencies.
Raiders insider Paul Gutierrez quoted Houshmandzadeh on ‘The Drop’:
“When it mattered, I dropped the ball,” he said. “Not saying we would have won the game, but we would have had a chance to continue that drive.”
Known throughout his 10-year career as a sure-handed possession receiver, The Drop surely haunts him, no?”
“No, it doesn’t haunt me,” Houshmandzadeh said. “It bothers me. Because I don’t drop the ball. But I dropped that ball, and I’m not ashamed to say I dropped it. But I did.”
Houshmandzadeh might not be haunted by that drop, but I know a few hundred thousand Ravens fans (myself included) who were! When he takes the field for the first time in nine months this Sunday against the Broncos, we’ll see how well he rebounds. And as the Raiders continue rebuilding their team, we’ll see whether he disappoints yet another fan base with another key drop when it matters most.