With exactly 1 minute to go on Sunday and the Green Bay Packers in the middle of a do-or-die drive against the Houston Texans, coach Matt LaFleur subbed out veteran running back Josh Jacobs.
He was replaced by Chris Brooks.
Chris Brooks?
Who’s Chris Brooks?
Only the unsung hero of a 24-22 victory.
Brooks went undrafted last year and played 36 snaps for the Miami Dolphins as a rookie. The Dolphins, with a logjam in the backfield, released him in their final roster cutdown and he signed to Green Bay’s practice squad on Sept. 3.
Two weeks later, with rookie MarShawn Lloyd on injured reserve, the Packers promoted him to the 53-man roster. Entering Sunday’s game, he had played 14 snaps all season.
What on earth did he show to deem him worthy of game-deciding snaps?
“He’s done a great job since the moment we got him,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “Very intelligent guy. Definitely can contribute on (special) teams, as well.”
Then came the explanation of why the Packers entrusted him in a crucial moment