Even before the hit that changed the course of NFL history occurred, Sept. 23, 2001 was not like any other NFL Sunday.
It was the first time NFL games had been played since 9/11. After three hijacked planes hit the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and another was forced to crash in Shanksville, Penn., NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue cancelled the games for that upcoming week (Sept. 16, 2011) almost immediately. Sports were pushed aside for more important national concerns.
The game wasn't exactly memorable up until the fourth quarter. Led by long time Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe, the Pats couldn't get it together on offense. The team was sloppy and turned the ball over three times, twice in the Jets red zone area.
On third and 10, at the Patriots 10-yard line with five minutes remaining in the game, the NFL changed forever with a single play. On the play, Bledsoe was flushed out of the pocket and chased out of bounds by Jets DE (now a Patriot ironically enough) Shaun Ellis. As Bledsoe was running out of bounds, Jets LB Mo Lewis delivered a crushing blow to Bledsoe.
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