In the age of social media, sports have evolved beyond competition into fertile ground for internet comedy. From sideline antics to questionable celebrations, athletes and coaches unwittingly transform into viral sensations with a single expression, gesture, or moment. As sports and internet culture continue their inevitable collision, The Tribune examines some of the most enduring memes across three major leagues.
National Football League (NFL):
Trump dance celebration: Touchdown of trolling
In terms of viral celebrations, few can compete with the unexpected presidential dance moves that somehow emerged from the gridiron. Players gyrating all together with staccato, terribly orchestrated Trump-like ‘lack of swagger’ became an instant internet sensation in the 2024-25 season, once again proving that touchdown celebrations can be an occasionally volatile vehicle for performance art to overlap with politics.
Patrick Mahomes: The alleged match-fixer meme
Conspiracy theorists and meme lords unite! The constant joke that Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, is secretly orchestrating game outcomes has transformed him from MVP quarterback to internet-appointed master of sports manipulation. Every perfectly thrown pass and touchdown now comes with a host of suspected corruption. Then, of course, the Chiefs lost the Superbowl to the Eagles this year, which provided the internet with endless new meme content against Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Bill Belichick: The human poker face
In the world of explosive emotions that is the NFL, Bill Belichick—the former General Manager of the New England Patriots and current Head Coach at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill—remains the ultimate meme of stoicism. His expressionless stare became an internet shorthand for general indifference and nonchalance, transforming the coach into a living, breathing meme that speaks volumes by saying and doing absolutely nothing in the face of positive or negative circumstances.
National Basketball Association (NBA):
Shannon Sharpe’s “Lakers in 5” prophecy
Shannon Sharpe’s unwavering belief that the Los Angeles Lakers will triumph in exactly five games has transcended sports commentary, becoming a cultural phenomenon. Embodied by a compilation of different memes rhyming together, this viral NBA meme culminates in the famous punchline “Lakers in 5.” Sharpe’s passionate proclamations have turned a statistical prediction into internet art, making “Lakers in 5” a mantra of unfiltered optimism.
The Drake curse: Musical jinx extraordinaire
When Drake supports a team, internet folklore suggests disaster will follow. His appearances at sporting events have become a meme of spectacular misfortune, with fans religiously tracking which team will next fall victim to the rapper’s seemingly supernatural ability to hex championship hopes. The only teams that seem to make it out alive are Canadian, like when the Toronto Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors in 2019 to win the NBA Final.
Crying Michael Jordan: The meme that launched a thousand tears
No sports meme pantheon is complete without the iconic tearful Michael Jordan face. What began as a moment of athletic vulnerability transformed into the internet’s most versatile reaction image, immortalizing raw emotion in pixel-perfect ridicule. Used across sports, pop culture, and many other formats, the crying MJ meme has been taking the internet by storm for years, including in Jordan’s own documentary, The Last Dance.
English Premier League (EPL):
Thierry Henry’s laugh: Comedy gold in football commentary
Thierry Henry’s infectious, somewhat mischievous laugh has become more memorable than some of his actual goals. Stifling laughter in many circumstances, his consistently playful grin makes his punditry moments all the more entertaining. His varied, humourous expressions have transformed serious football analysis into comedy gold.
Gary Neville: The Monday Night Football meme machine
Monday Night Football transformed from mere sports analysis to a comedy sketch, largely thanks to Gary Neville’s animated reactions. His passionate dissections of gameplay and snapshot reactions of shock and excitement, microphone in hand, have made tactical analysis feel like stand-up comedy, entertaining millions even beyond traditional football fandoms with his witty retorts and hilarious one-liners.
Jurgen Klopp: A walking meme
Less a manager, more a walking meme-generator, Klopp’s touchline antics, masterful interviews, and aggressively expressive celebrations have turned Liverpool’s sidelines into a circus act. Every fist pump, every incredulous look is internet content waiting to happen. His eye-catching, full-body, erratic reactions to even the smallest occurrences on the field encapsulate the term ‘body on the [touch]line.’
