Jerome Simpson flip: A video clip that must be seen

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Jerome Simpson, a young and athletic receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, has flipped his way into America’s hearts and minds.

If you haven’t seen the video of the touchdown reception on which Simpson does a forward flip over an Arizona Cardinals defender at the goal line and lands cleanly on his feet, check it out above.

The Bengals (9-6) went on to defeat the Cardinals, 23-16, to guarantee only their third winning season in the last 21 years and put themselves in position to clinch a playoff spot with a victory over AFC North rival Baltimore next Sunday in Cincinnati.

Although rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie receiver A.J. Green have grabbed most of the team’s offensive headlines this season, along with veteran running back Cedric Benson, Simpson has made a splash from time to time. He has averaged 15.7 yards on his 40 catches this season. The touchdown reception Saturday, which went for 19 yards, was his third of the season.

Simpson got open on a short route across the middle. With Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington between him and the goal line, the fourth-year receiver from Coastal Carolina easily cleared the linebacker with his contact-avoiding somersault, landing on both feet before raising his arms as if he had just concluded an Olympic gymnastics routine.

‘One of the key parts for me was I stuck the landing,’ Simpson said. ‘I stuck the landing like a gymnast. That was probably one of the most surprising of all the plays in my career. It was pretty awesome, I thought.’

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--Dan Loumena