Trace McSorley Throws His First NFL Touchdown Pass
Trace McSorley led Penn State to a comeback victory for the Big Ten title on Dec. 3, 2016. One day shy of that game's fourth anniversary, McSorley nearly got another chance with the Baltimore Ravens.
McSorley replaced the injured Robert Griffin III in the fourth quarter Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, converted a fourth-down run and threw his first NFL touchdown pass. Alas, he didn't get a chance to complete the comeback, as the Steelers ran out the clock for a 19-14 win.
McSorley, activated this week from the COVID-19 reserve list, became Baltimore's No. 2 quarterback after Lamar Jackson was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. Griffin III appeared to be playing hurt much of the game before leaving in the fourth quarter.
With 3:11 remaining, McSorley hit Marquise Brown with a 20-yard completion, which the receiver turned into a 70-yard touchdown.
The play prompted a charge of reaction from his former teammates and coaches at Penn State.
Penn State coach James Franklin came off the practice field Wednesday to hear that McSorley had thrown his first NFL touchdown pass. Asked about that during his post-practice media session, Franklin said he wasn't surprised.
"Like I told the Ravens, he's one of those guys who's going to find a way. ... He wasn't highly recruited out of high school at the position. Got here and right away kind of earned everybody's respect and obviously had a great career. And he's a winner. He did it in high school, he did it in college so it doesn't surprise me at all that he's doing it again now in the NFL.
"I know a bunch of the coaches on the Ravens staff, and I had a bunch of conversations about him last year when they were trying to decide whether he was going to make the team, so it doesn't surprise me at all. ... I'm a big Trace McSorley fan. Nothing with that guy surprises me one bit."
