Meatball sub: The NFLs new sandwich slang, explained

The NFL's newest slang term, a meatball sub, has emerged as football fans create absurd sandwich combinations to mock quarterbacks (QB) who throw interceptions. This trend is rooted in a food-based lexicon within American football culture, where the most outrageous sandwich pairings are used to slurr players' performances. Meatball sub has become synonymous with a QB throwing an interception, but it doesn't have to be a meatball sub specifically.

The term "meatball" has been used in sports, particularly baseball, to describe an easy-to-hit pitch down the middle. The link between sandwiches and football slurs is catching on this season, though it's not entirely new. The earliest known reference dates back to 2023, where a tweet described Carr throwing a shrimp poboy. Football slurs often stem from poor performance, with NBA players being subjected to similar memes and jokes.

The Patriots' QB Drake Maye, who had a disastrous game against the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, is believed to have sparked the meatball sub trend. Maye faced criticism due to his poor performance and his role as second in MVP voting in his second NFL season. While the meatball sub trend may not last past Week 1, it remains a fun addition to football analysis over the season.