Brandon McManus Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Broncos, Rams 'ugly' Christmas jersey prank is perfect metaphor for failed seasons

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/22/22

Players on the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams were recently pranked into believing they would be wearing "ugly" Christmas jerseys during their Week 16 game on the Sunday holiday.

Broncos kicker Brandon McManus and Rams safety Nick Scott collaborated with CBS Sports ahead of time in the attempt to fool their teammates. Denver (4-10) and Los Angeles (4-10) both had high expectations entering the 2022 season but are two of just five teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

The prank, therefore, acts as a perfect metaphor for both teams' failed seasons, which have been brutal, underwhelming and downright ugly.

With the @Broncos and @RamsNFL playing on Christmas, we made some fake "ugly" Christmas jerseys and told the teams they'd be wearing them for game day.

A few players liked them. And others...well, others did not. pic.twitter.com/9aHtqDyL3C
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 22, 2022

The Rams are nearing the end of one of the worst Super Bowl hangovers in league history. After a 3-3 start that included losses to quality teams in the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles took their bye in Week 7 before returning and going on a six-game losing streak to knock them out the postseason hunt.

A myriad of injuries to star players like Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford didn't help the cause, but this team looked different from the start. With a healthy Donald, Kupp and Stafford -- who recently said he won't be retiring in the offseason -- the Rams should bounce back in 2023.

After the monster trade for Russell Wilson in March, Broncos fans thought their seven-year playoff drought would be coming to a close in 2022. Instead, Wilson's poor play, a huge early-season, year-ending injury to running back Javonte Williams and some suspect decisions from first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett have doomed Denver since September.

The Broncos and Rams won't actually be wearing the "ugly" Christmas sweater jerseys in Week 16, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Santa left both teams with a big lump of coal on Sunday.

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