On May 16, the cream of the NFL’s rookie crop got their first crack at donning their new teams’ uniforms at the annual NFL Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot. And the folks at Upper Deck are only too happy to share with you the company’s new, league-approved “Top 10 Touchdown Dance Challenge” video captured at this year’s event inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Out of the 34 position players invited to this year’s event on May 16, ten of the more creative ones made the final cut as part of Upper Deck’s just-released video. The competition was fierce as every player was vying for the overall grand prize: an autographed Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls red jersey, courtesy of Upper Deck Authenticated! Upper Deck officials spent countless hours compiling notes and reviewing the entries to see who would make the grade and ultimately be recognized as the overall TD Dance Challenge champion. And perhaps more importantly, which rookie for the Class of 2009 would earn bragging rights for having the best touchdown boogie!
As the players walked up to Upper Deck’s video crew at Station 6, they started to feel the excitement as they all seemed to be visualizing their first touchdown scores in the NFL. And once they crossed that chalked line and entered the L.A. Coliseum’s east end zone, it was do-or-die time as they strutted their best touchdown dance celebrations.
The day’s cameras captured the freshman players’ most interesting maneuvers, some more hair-raising than the next. Classic moves were caught on tape where some players paid homage to past stars and current veterans who helped pave the way to the art of the touchdown dance.
Featured in the video compilation are top up-and-comers like No. 1 overall draft pick Matt Stafford (QB, Detroit Lions), who blows up the goal post with his entry entitled “Dynamite.” Another can’t-miss performance is one turned in by newly acquainted New York Jets teammates Mark Sanchez (QB) and Shonn Green (RB), who get familiar with one another in their routine christened “A Star is Born.” A Tiger Woods impersonation is turned in by Indianapolis Colts rookie Donald Brown (RB), while Tyson Jackson (DE, Kansas City Chiefs) and LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia Eagles) do some dancing, and Derrick Williams (WR, Detroit Lions) provides an eye-opening interpretation of a one-armed worm. What’s more, Mike Wallace (WR, Pittsburgh Steelers) provides a unique way to make it back to the sidelines after scoring six points, while Deon Butler (WR, Seattle Seahawks) takes everybody back in time with his rendition of duck, duck, goose.
But when the dust had settled, and all the votes were in, it was Knowshon Moreno (RB, Denver Broncos) who took top billing. Although he performed two different entries that both landed in the final cut, it was his innovative lumberjack routine that scored top honors. See for yourself if Moreno’s moves would have been good enough to make a dent on “Dancing with the Stars.”
