Trace McSorley is going to make his first career NFL start on Christmas Day when the Cardinals host the Buccaneers at State Farm Stadium.
McSorley is normally Arizona’s third-string quarterback. However, he is being thrust into action with Kyler Murray (torn ACL) and Colt McCoy (concussion) out of action.
To date, McSorley hasn’t accomplished much at the NFL level. He has completed 18 of 39 passes for 256 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions across four seasons, and he struggled in relief of McCoy against the Broncos.
Still, the Cardinals will trust McSorley in this contest over David Blough, and they will hope that he can regain a bit of the magic he had during his time at Penn State.
McSorley was a great, dual-threat college quarterback with the Nittany Lions and he was named to the All-Big Ten second team three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018.
In fact, he was so good that a Penn State student wrote a song about him. And in the years since it was written, the rap has served as an anthem of sorts for McSorley.
What exactly is the Trace McSorley song and how did it rise to prominence? Here’s what to know about it as McSorley prepares to make his first start with the contest.
MORE: Relationship between Kliff Kingsbury, Kyler Murray is “not good,” per report
The Trace McSorley song was made by 2019 Penn State graduate Matt Freiler, who goes by the name “Matty Fresh Tunes” on tracks.
Freiler had written a previous rap about star Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley. He wanted to repeat that process ahead of the 2018 season, but he waited until he found the right guy about which to write a song.
“I didn’t want to do it to just do it,” Freiler told The Daily Collegian at Penn State in 2020. “It had to be the right player and there was a lot of hype going into that season — Trace was coming into his fifth year and had been through a lot.”
Not only that, but McSorley had been a dynamic quarterback for the Nittany Lions in his first three seasons there. He was coming off a season during which he completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 3,570 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while leading Penn State to an 11-2 finish.
Below is a look at McSorley’s stats from his college career:
Indeed, it’s easy to understand why Freiler decided to write the song about McSorley. Even still, he didn’t have any semblance of exactly how big it would eventually get.
MORE: Revisiting Kliff Kingsbury’s time with the Patriots, Bill Belichick & Tom Brady
At first, Freiler’s song only garnered a local following in and around the Penn State community. However, two years after its 2018 release it went viral after it appeared in a TikTok of McSorley dominating for the Steelers in Madden.
2nd Best QB in the game? ##madden21
♬ Trace McSorely spittin – Sub 2 Sorley on YT
That sparked a series of memes about McSorley being the best quarterback in the game. It also caused many to look for Freiler’s McSorley song on YouTube and music streaming services like Spotify.
Shortly after the TikTok post, Freiler’s rap reached half a million views on YouTube. To date, it has about 7.6 million views.
“I just couldn’t believe the numbers,” Freiler said. “I didn’t know where these people were coming from, but I started to realize it was all over the country and not just in Pennsylvania anymore.”
Even McSorley, who was playing for the Ravens at the time, heard about the rise of his song. His teammates ribbed him about it, implying that he had been the one to make the rap, while he marveled at how quickly the song spread.
“It just goes to show you how social media can affect things,” McSorley said. “It’s been funny to see how it’s gone the past few weeks.”
MORE: How long is Kyler Murray out? Latest news, injury updates on Cardinals QB
[Intro]
Despite the fact that he led his high school
To four straight state championship game appearances,
Very few high major recruiters looked at the 6-foot tall
180-pounder and said: Quarterback.
[Chorus]
Throw it on a dime
Like ya’ll ain’t even trying
Just a kid from Briar Woods
I’m wearing number nine
Coach Franklin down at Vandy
Flip to Happy Valley
Now I’m coming back and got the Natty on my mind
They can’t touch my deep ball
Every game I’m scoring
I’m your favorite quarterback
They call me Trace McSorley
Rep that blue and white
You know I do it for the glory
Baker won the Heisman, next up Trace McSorley
[Verse 1]
Trace McSorley
They call me Trace McSorley
I went out to the bar and I woke up in a sorority
Michigan defense softer than that Cheesecake
Beaver stadium, get loud, home team 14 Straight
And De’Andre going long
Back shoulder to Juwan
It’s that Big 10 title season
Try to take me out, too bad we still got Tommy Stevens
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
Trace McSorley
They call me Trace McSorley
I make these other Quarterbacks look boring, I’m snoring
I came in as a starter and went 22-5
If you bring that blitz, I scramble out
And let that f—er fly
Long ball I got no fear
Going into my 5th year and I look back at 2014
Thinkin’ how the hell did we get here?
Saquon to the big league
Next up Miles Sanders
And the Nittany Lions moving forward
While the Buckeye’s going backward
[Bridge]
Listen to the critics they all say I’m undersized
If you wanna win a game then put your faith in number 9
And we coming for that title best believe I’m gonna shine
I’m about to show Joe Moe why you should not leave me behind
[Chorus]
Below is the official Trace McSorley song and video, from Matty Fresh’s YouTube channel.
Warning: This video contains NSFW language.