Cleveland Browns fans were warned. Chicago Bears fans cautioned them for months that sooner or later the Cody Parkey experience was going to ruin the fun. That is what the kicker has made his reputation on. Browns fans didn’t listen. They proclaimed the kicker was a changed man. Coming to Cleveland cured his ails and would be their guy for years moving forward.
After all, he’d only missed threw total kicks in 11 games since taking over in Week 2. The guy was as close to automatic as it gets. He was locked in. There was no way he was going to cost them a big game down the stretch. Except Bears fans knew better. They’d been well-conditioned to never trust anything Parkey shows. Not until he’s put in a proper pressure situation.
The Double Doink remains too burned in their memories to ever fade.
Sure enough, all those warnings proved correct. Cleveland went into Monday Night Football in Week 14 with a gigantic opportunity. Pittsburgh had just lost two games in a row. Suddenly the AFC North, which had looked out of reach all year, was within their grasp. All the Browns had to do was knock off the Baltimore Ravens at home. They certainly showed up, scoring 42 points on the night.
Unfortunately, it was the three points they didn’t get that robbed them of a season-defining win. This courtesy of a missed 39-yard field goal by Parkey.
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Cody Parkey misses a 39-yard field goal. Not even a doink. #MNF pic.twitter.com/jEBVvFEJ20
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 15, 2020
Sure enough late in the game, Baltimore pulled back ahead 45-42 on a Justin Tucker 55-yard field goal. So instead of it being tied and the game going to overtime, the Browns were left with two seconds on the clock and having to play hot potato on the ensuing kickoff trying to create a miracle. It led to a safety instead and a brutal loss.
Cleveland fans? Well, they weren’t happy.
Browns fan here from CHIBears
The Browns need to dump Parkey tomorrow. I don't care how he's been this year. I feel like the old man who has seen some shit and warns you how it's going to play out because I promise you he will ruin everything
— Eddie (@EddieBarstool) December 15, 2020
Fucking Parkey 🤦🏾 you had 1 fucking job!! #browns pic.twitter.com/gXiFg44MV0
— Buckeyes_216😷💙 (@216Buckeyes) December 15, 2020
Cody Parkey is the worst kicker in #NFL history.
— George Hathaway (@hathawaygeorge9) December 15, 2020
1. Fuck Cody Parkey
2. How tf do we not stop Ravens backup QB on 3rd and 10?
3. Baker is legit #Browns— fuck cody parkey (@gnat_uw_) December 15, 2020
I can’t believe how bad kickers are in the NFL. I wouldn’t miss one inside 50 yards. Fucking Clown Parkey. #MNF pic.twitter.com/QRnTPTOBlZ
— Saudi Blades (@BladesDem) December 15, 2020
Again. Cody. Parkey. #Browns pic.twitter.com/9pPTLp92Qh
— Jeff (@BigJeff1489) December 15, 2020
Where does
Cody Parkey live … .
I'm tryin to see something.
🧐‼#Browns #CLEvsBAL pic.twitter.com/yqTpBZs9xC— Carman Santanaa XO♡ (@THATpinkSWAGG) December 15, 2020
Cody Parkey changed uniforms but not who he is
Some people out there are wondering why Bears fans are so brutal towards Cody Parkey to this day. Sure he missed a kick in the playoffs that cost the team a win, but that happens all the time. What makes him different? Context is always key. It wasn’t just that kick in the wildcard playoff game. It was what came before and after.
Remember the Bears paid that guy $9 million in guaranteed money to kick a ball through the uprights. Almost from the jump, there were problems. It was revealed early on the guy couldn’t even be bothered to travel down to Soldier Field to practice in his spare time because he didn’t care for the commute. He proceeded to miss 10 kicks in the regular season including, wait for it, six at Soldier Field. Then “lucky” #7 arrived in January.
If that weren’t bad enough, Parkey made it ten times worse afterwards.
Five days after the Eagles loss, he appeared on The Today Show to talk about how he’s fighting through the adversity of missing that kick. Fans were irate. They saw it as nothing more than a way for him to try and save face. Even Bears head coach Matt Nagy called it a “me” move rather than what was best for the team.
A month later he was cut. Now he’s ruining the fun for another organization. Some things just never change.
