A Football Metaphor from Two Recent Unfortunate Plays: Law School Is the Drive, the Bar Exam Is the End Zone

You’ve seen it: A wide receiver or running back breaks free, the crowd roars, and the touchdown is all but certain. But instead of finishing the play, the player drops the football just before crossing the goal line. What should have been six points turns into a heartbreaking touchback.

In Jay Busbee’s recent Yahoo Sports column—“NFL Fumbling: Seriously, Just Carry the Damn Ball Into the End Zone”—he highlights this maddening, preventable mistake: Celebrating too early. The piece ran just weeks weeks into the heart of football season, making it a timely reminder as mid-semester stress builds and 3Ls start eyeing graduation. Players like Adonai Mitchell (Week 4, Colts vs. Rams) or Emari Demercado (Week 5, Cardinals vs. Jaguars) have learned the hard way that almost scoring doesn’t count. You have to finish the play.

Law School Field of Play

Think of law school as your field of play. Every case brief, outline, assignment, and practice exam is a yard gained. Graduation is a milestone—albeit a big one—but it’s not the goal line. The touchdown is passing the bar exam. That’s when the points go on the scoreboard.

Too many students “drop the ball” by easing up during their final semester of law school or once they’ve crossed the graduation stage. The end of law school feels like the finish line. You’ve earned it, no doubt, but the game’s not over yet. The final drive, the one that counts most, begins after commencement.

Don’t Celebrate Too Early

In football, early celebrations turn sure wins into unforgettable blunders. In law school, they turn promising graduates into frustrated bar retakers. The difference between success and heartbreak can come down to a few inches—or a few weeks of disciplined bar study.

Yes, absolutely celebrate. You’ve worked hard. But celebrate after you’ve crossed the bar exam’s goal line. Carry that metaphorical football all the way through the end of the bar exam.

Football coaches tell their players, “Touch the ball to the back wall. Don’t stop until you’re through the end zone.” Bar prep works the same way. Keep your eyes forward, your grip tight, and your focus steady.

You’ve come this far. Don’t drop the ball now. Finish the play.