A playful new slang term has emerged in football culture as the NFL season kicks off. The phrase “meatball sub” now describes quarterbacks throwing interceptions, with fans crafting increasingly absurd sandwich references to mock poor performances. The trend builds on baseball terminology, where “meatball” traditionally refers to an easy-to-hit pitch, adapted for football’s oblong-shaped ball by substituting sandwich combinations.
While the concept gained significant traction this season, earlier examples date back to 2023. The humor intensifies when more ridiculous sandwich combinations are used—such as one fantasy football enthusiast describing a quarterback’s mistake as “pastrami on pumpernickel.” The trend represents a broader pattern in sports where online communities create food-based insults targeting athletes perceived as underperforming or heading toward career decline.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has become the focal point of this particular meme cycle. His connection to Jersey Mike’s through charitable appearances in Boston combined with a three-interception performance against the Seahawks in a season-opening Super Bowl rematch provided perfect fodder for sandwich-based ridicule. The timing coincided with some fan skepticism about his earlier MVP consideration in his second season.
While the trend appears to be fading already, it represents another iteration of sports slander evolving across social media platforms. Such humorous commentary typically peaks early in the season before losing momentum, though clips from these exchanges will likely resurface in end-of-season highlight compilations documenting viral moments.
Originally reported by Mashable →
About the Author
