Chase Claypool had a roller coaster of a night.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver started Thursday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings with a personal foul and a fumble that would be overturned. Claypool then stepped up in the second half with some big catches that contributed to the Steelers coming back from a 29-0 defecit. Claypool finished out the night with eight catches and 93 receiving yards.
While his string of great catches deserves to be recognized, what he did in the final seconds of the game should also be recognized. On his eighth reception, Claypool caught a 4th-and-1 in the middle of the field with less than 40 seconds left. With no timeouts, the Steelers needed to spike the ball but Claypool celebrated and noticeably wasted enough time that could’ve given the Steelers one more play at the end of the game. With three seconds left, Ben Roethlisberger threaded the needle for a pass to Pat Freiermuth that wound up being incomplete thanks to a clean hit by the Vikings defense. The Vikings would win 36-28.
It’s debatable if one more play would’ve been the difference for the Steelers and you can argue that Claypool’s performance helped the Steelers get into a position to win in the first place but many people accused Claypool of lacking situational awareness and maturity and they definitely have a point.
Chase Claypool literally with the weirdest time to celebrate
— The Just Talk Podcast (@TheJustTalkPod) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool cost the Steelers AT LEAST 5 seconds posing & pointing
that would have given the Steelers 1 more play… 1 more shot to tie it up
so dumb, so clueless pic.twitter.com/cy7wSkv4XE
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool made some big grabs tonight, but the situational awareness here is so bad. Pittsburgh had no timeouts left. Claypool makes the catch, decides to celebrate, an offensive lineman tries to get the ball but it rolls away. Clock ticks, ticks…pic.twitter.com/w3IBaQacjV
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool celebrated a first down with no timeouts left and wasted 3 seconds.
Could’ve had another shot at the end with those 3 seconds. pic.twitter.com/g6lztnE7Mg
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 10, 2021
36 seconds left and no timeouts down by 8 in the 4th and Chase Claypool is celebrating a catch 🤦♂️ #PITvsMIN pic.twitter.com/fed325dXSI
— Someone's An Idiot (@SomeonesAnIdiot) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool celebrating his first down when his team trying to spike the ball pic.twitter.com/UhjKkubB47
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) December 10, 2021
[20 seconds left driving to win]
*chase claypool* pic.twitter.com/feMVMdsG3k
— Allan Bell (@AllanBell247) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool gotta be the lowest IQ football player I've ever seen. No timeouts left and this guy is celebrating a first down.
— Rob Pizzola (@robpizzola) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool celebrating a 9 yard catch with 36 seconds on the clock pic.twitter.com/opJvLSdTLx
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) December 10, 2021
Chase Claypool is the JR Smith of football pic.twitter.com/ZBnYmAp8pH
— Quincy Carrier (@Kwen_C) December 10, 2021