A photograph of DeSean Jackson signing his contract with the Washington Redskins went viral on Wednesday afternoon thanks to a seemingly odd photograph that was hanging behind Jackson on a wall at Redskins Park.
The picture shows sleeping marines, one of whom appears to be wearing Redskins pants, resting with a dog. Twitter, our best vessel for breaking news and snark, was instantly filled with one-liners about the photograph.
Turns out the picture is very real and has a wonderful backstory.
It was taken January 2012 by a 22-year-old corporal named Reece Lodder. The combat correspondent was on the ground in Afghanistan. After an exhausting day, he noticed the platoon’s IED detection dog, Blue, snuggled up next to his handler, Lance Cpl. Jarrett Hatley, who was resting with a Redskins blanket over him. Lodder snapped the picture.
The photograph quickly circulated on military websites and was later featured in an online Washington Post gallery. It was voted the Marine Corps’ “Top Shot” of the year.
Lodder spoke about the picture with Marines Blog, the official blog of the United States Marine Corps.
“This photo is powerful because of its richness in feeling and theme. It contains elements that interest such a wide variety of people — dirty, hardened Marines; challenging, tiring operations in Afghanistan; Hatley’s golden Labrador retriever; and of course, the Redskins blanket. The photo is an unfiltered expression of life as I observed it in that moment. Challenging and exhausting, but rich in beautiful moments that are waiting to be observed and captured … if only we have the eyes to see them as they unfold.”
One month after the picture was taken, Blue sniffed out a 40-pound IED that was placed under a bridge just minutes before a dozen men were to cross it.
