CLEVELAND (AP) — Cecil Shorts came home and broke some hearts.
A Cleveland kid who grew up rooting for the Browns, Shorts caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne with 40 seconds left, rallying the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 32-28 win on Sunday.
On third-and-9, Henne lofted a perfect pass to the left corner for Shorts, who had beaten cornerback Joe Haden. Shorts got both feet down in the end zone before tumbling out of bounds.
It was a dream moment for Shorts, who earlier this week talked about the excitement of returning to play in front of family members and friends. As a kid, his father raised him to support the local teams.
“I’m all Cleveland — Browns, Indians, Cavaliers,” he said. “That’s all I knew growing up.”
He’s added another entry to the city’s pained sports history.
Henne drove the Jaguars (3-9) 80 yards in nine plays for the winning TD as Jacksonville continued its stunning turnaround after losing its first eight games, all by at least 10 points. The Jaguars are 3-1 since their bye with all three victories on the road.
Shorts catch lifts Jaguars