It’s been almost eight years since the Atlanta Falcons’ infamous meltdown in Super Bowl LI, but no matter how much time passes, they can’t seem to escape the shadow of that defeat. The latest jab at the Falcons’ historic collapse came from an unexpected source: a weather reporter.
Paul Goodloe of The Weather Channel was on location in Sarasota, Florida, this week covering the landfall of Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm that hit the state’s West Coast on Wednesday night. While delivering crucial safety updates, Goodloe wanted to emphasize to viewers and residents that just because the eye of the storm brought a temporary calm, it didn’t mean the danger was over.
To drive the point home, Goodloe made a playful yet pointed reference to one of the most memorable moments in sports history. He compared the calm eye of the hurricane to the Atlanta Falcons’ commanding 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots in the first half of Super Bowl LI. As most football fans know all too well, Tom Brady and the Patriots mounted a stunning comeback to win the game 34-28 in overtime.
“There’s a lot more to go,” Goodloe warned viewers. “I think back to, you know, the Atlanta Falcons being first-half Super Bowl winners. We all know what happened in the second half when the Patriots came back to life. So, do not sleep on the second half of Milton.”
RELATED: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Issue Hurricane Milton Update After Evacuating to New Orleans
The Falcons have been the butt of countless 28-3 jokes ever since that heartbreaking loss in 2017, but this one caught many viewers off guard—especially considering it came in the middle of a severe weather broadcast.
It seems Goodloe had been waiting a long time to sneak that memorable punchline into one of his reports.
Even after all these years, the 28-3 collapse continues to live on, serving as a go-to punchline whenever someone wants to underscore an unexpected comeback—or in this case, the unpredictable nature of a hurricane.
