With a flair for the dramatic, it stopped just inches from the goal line. Would it stop short of pay dirt? Would this be yet another disappointment at a Giants home game?

It would not — the cat delivered. In a flash, it took off into a full sprint, galloping triumphantly into the end zone. The crowd went wild, both in the stadium and in homes across the nation.

“The cat runs into the end zone! That is a touchdown!” Kevin Harlan announced on Westwood One radio.

“He’s got great lateral movement,” declared Joe Tessitore, an ESPN announcer.

State troopers and stadium workers chased the cat behind the end zone, and it went about as well as you’d expect. Less than a minute later, it ran through a tunnel and exited the field, forcing everyone to watch football again. (The Cowboys ended up winning, 37-18.)

There is a storied history of animals interrupting sports games and bringing everyone joy. Football has historically been vulnerable to squirrel breaks, including one critter that became beloved in Green Bay in 2016.