The Butt Fumble will live in infamy on NFL Films blooper reels for generations to come.
However, Jake Hendrickson is doing his part to keep the legend from growing.
Hendrickson, a lifelong New York Jets fan from California, acquired the jersey donned by Mark Sanchez when the quarterback became -- ahem -- the butt of jokes nationwide in 2012 for losing the ball after slamming into teammate Brandon Moore's posterior.
The Gang Green supporter stumbled on the jersey last week when surfing the NFL Auction website. After going back and forth with other bidders, Hendrickson ultimately won the prize for $820 -- and breathed a sigh of relief.
"The second I realized what it was I knew I had to have it," Hendrickson told Yahoo! Sports. "Almost for macabre reasons; the amount of ridicule I have received from friends regarding that play and me being a diehard Jets fan out in California especially.
"There's no way I could let it get in the hands of an anti-fan or something of that manner to be shoved in our face."
Hendrickson won't have to worry about that anymore. But while the jersey will remain safe and sound within the confines of his home, he's not above sending it into orbit to put the past, uh, behind him.
"For now I'll probably just frame it up real nice and put it on my wall," Hendrickson added. "Until we win a Super Bowl or I can get together enough money to put it on a rocketship and shoot it to outer space because I don't think it belongs on this planet anymore."
Perhaps he can blast it to Lovetron -- a much worthier fate for a piece of history than being turned into pasta sauce.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" predicts 2014 starting lineups and talks insider goodness with Bucky Brooks.
