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Doing the “Lights Out Sack” dance to win tickets to the Super Bowl

Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman rewarded one lucky Twitter user for doing his signature dance. 

 

Kevin Collier

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Posted on Jan 31, 2012   Updated on Jun 2, 2021, 10:03 pm CDT

Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman announced on Twitter yesterday that he’s sending a lucky fan two Super Bowl tickets.

Known equally for his pass-rushing ability and for being accussed of imprisoning Telia Tequilia, Merriman had casually stated Friday evening that he was giving away two tickets, but didn’t make the contest rules explicit until Sunday: “Give me ur BEST Lights Out Sack dance… On video!”

That’s a reference to Merriman’s trademark dance: After sacking an opposing quarterback, he makes a spastic, jolting motion, then punches the air.

“Remember it’s just 2 tickets,” he warned. “Travel & accommodations are on you!”

On Monday, Merriman announced that he’d narrowed it down to his top three. However, according to the Twitter analytics tool Topsy, only five people even submitted videos to Merrman’s Twitter handle. And one wasn’t even clearly a Lights Out dance: It would be more accurate to say it’s just a poorly lit little girl jumping while a song called “Lights Out” plays in the background.

The first of two runners-up were a girl in what seems to be a backyard, tackling a man in a Steelers uniform. “doing my #lightsoutsackdance while my neighbor’s lights were out, hope they dont mind!” she tweeted.

The other loser in the contest is a college freshman in his dorm, dressed in a Tony Gonzalez jersey, repeatedly tackling his friend onto a mattress.

Finally, Merriman announced the winner, Jonathan Yioulos, unique among entrants in that he actually wore a Bills jersey. His video has the added bonuses of snowman-destruction and cool video graphics.

Yioulos didn’t seem terribly excited. He posted a single tweet acknowledging his win.

He’s since moved on to other topics: “Just found my old Get rich or die tryin cd. Best album of all time #50,” he tweeted this morning.

Photo by @Sammi_82

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*First Published: Jan 31, 2012, 7:15 pm CST