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What Is the 44 Thats Me TikTok Trend NFL Players GEICO Commercial Goes Viral

September 5, 2025 by
What Is the 44 Thats Me TikTok Trend NFL Players GEICO Commercial Goes Viral
Saifullah
What Is the "44 That's Me" TikTok Trend? NFL Player's GEICO Commercial Goes Viral
📅 Updated 2025 ⏱ 7 min read ✍ BigWriteHook
⚡ Quick Answer

The "44 That's Me" TikTok trend uses audio from a 2014 GEICO insurance commercial starring former NFL running back Ickey Woods. In the ad, Woods hears his deli order number called — number 44 — and celebrates with his iconic Ickey Shuffle touchdown dance. TikTokers have remixed the audio into a viral format to capture moments of unexpected excitement or surprising contrasts.

Here's something only the internet can do. Take a decade-old TV commercial about cold cuts. Add a retired NFL player doing a victory dance in a supermarket. Wait ten years. Then watch it explode on TikTok like it was filmed yesterday.

That is exactly what happened with the "44 That's Me" trend. It is one of those rare viral moments that makes you smile even if you have no idea who Ickey Woods is, what the Ickey Shuffle is, or why anyone would celebrate that hard over deli meat. Let's break it all down, properly.

What Is the "44 That's Me" TikTok Trend?

The "44 That's Me" trend uses audio pulled from a 2014 GEICO commercial featuring former NFL player Ickey Woods. In the commercial, Woods is waiting at a supermarket deli counter. When number 44 is finally called, he launches into his famous Ickey Shuffle — the same celebratory touchdown dance he performed during his 1988–1991 NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals.

He shouts "Wooo! 44, that's me! Wooo! Give me some!" and slams his belongings on the ground the way he once spiked a football after a score. The energy is completely disproportionate to the situation. That's the entire joke. And it works every single time.

Why does it work? The humour comes from the gap. The mismatch between what the moment is (getting deli meat) and how it's treated (like winning the Super Bowl) is the whole engine of this trend. TikTok's algorithm rewards that kind of instant emotional contrast — and viewers love feeling seen when something small feels unexpectedly massive.

How TikTokers Use the Sound

In the trend, creators play the audio and reveal something through text overlay — like a tall person suddenly revealing their short friend, or a calm-seeming person surprising everyone with their wild side. The contrast is the punchline.

The format is flexible. People use it to reveal:

  • Unexpected personality traits — the quiet friend who secretly goes feral at karaoke
  • Surprising physical reveals — short people standing next to very tall friends
  • Relatable wins — getting the last parking spot, having your name called at Starbucks correctly
  • Unexpected achievements — passing the exam you definitely did not study for
  • Pet behaviour — the cat who suddenly decides 3am is the right time to sprint across the house

The audio has been used over 22,000 times and counting on TikTok. It has also introduced the Ickey Shuffle to an entirely new generation who had never seen a single snap of Ickey Woods' NFL career.

22K+
TikTok uses of the sound
2014
Year the GEICO ad aired
10 yrs
Time before it went viral
#44
Woods' jersey & deli number

Who Is Ickey Woods? The Man Behind the Shuffle

Before TikTok ever existed, Ickey Woods was already legendary — at least in Cincinnati. Born on February 28, 1966, in Fresno, California, Elbert "Ickey" Woods played four NFL seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1988 to 1991. He is, in a word, a character.

He set franchise rookie records for rushing with 1,066 yards, 15 touchdowns, and an NFL-leading 5.3 yards per carry. He also added 228 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs as the Bengals reached Super Bowl XXIII. Not bad for a running back from UNLV that most scouts had not circled in red ink.

Ickey Woods Career Stats at a Glance

Stat Career Total Rookie Season (1988)
Rushing Yards 1,525 1,066
Rushing Attempts 332 203
Touchdowns (Total) 27 15
Yards Per Carry 4.6 5.3 (NFL-leading)
Receptions 47 21
Receiving Yards 397 199
Super Bowl Appearance Super Bowl XXIII (lost 20–16 to the 49ers)

Sources: Pro Football Reference, Wikipedia — Ickey Woods

Why Did His Career End So Soon?

Woods tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the second game of the 1989 season. He missed 13 months. By the time he returned, his starting role had been filled by Harold Green.

After only four seasons in the NFL, Woods was released and retired. He was out of football by age 26. That is genuinely painful to read. One of the most explosive rookie seasons in NFL history, and then two bad knees erased it all. You'd be forgiven for dancing hard in a supermarket after that, honestly.

The GEICO Commercial Explained

The ad that started everything is remarkably simple. No special effects. No celebrity cameo. Just Ickey Woods, a deli counter, and a number being called.

What Happens in the Ad?

  1. Woods stands in line at a supermarket deli counter, holding his number ticket
  2. The deli worker calls out: "Number 44"
  3. Woods explodes into his signature Ickey Shuffle touchdown dance
  4. He yells "Wooo! 44, that's me! Give me some!" and slams down his belongings
  5. The GEICO tagline rolls — because apparently even cold cuts are worth celebrating when you save money on car insurance

In 2014, Woods was featured in a national GEICO Insurance commercial in which he reprised his Ickey Shuffle while buying cold cuts at a deli counter. It was a smart casting choice. The ad worked because it felt true. This is exactly how Ickey Woods would behave in a supermarket. Nobody questioned it for a second.

Because the commercial aired repeatedly on cable TV in 2014, it already carried nostalgia for a certain age group. That pre-existing emotional attachment is almost certainly part of why it resonated so strongly when it resurfaced on TikTok.

What Is the Ickey Shuffle?

The Ickey Shuffle is a celebratory touchdown dance that Woods first performed in 1988 while playing for the NFL. It involves a side-to-side shuffling motion with the feet, combined with a hip sway and arm movement — equal parts rhythm and joy.

Here is what made it culturally significant:

  • It was spontaneous and authentic — not choreographed beforehand
  • It was consistent — fans knew exactly what was coming after every score
  • It was joyful, not arrogant — which made it impossible to dislike, even for the opposing team's fans
  • The NFL eventually banned it — excessive celebration rules hit the shuffle with fines, but the Bengals reportedly paid them happily
  • It survived the ban by becoming a commercial asset — GEICO came calling decades later for a reason

Woods was recognised as the 57th greatest character in NFL history on the league's "NFL 100: Greatest Characters" list in 2019, celebrated for inventing the Ickey Shuffle touchdown celebration during his 1988 rookie season.

Not bad for a dance move born in a moment of pure happiness. That is honestly all it ever was.

From NFL Touchdown to TikTok Trend: A Timeline

  • 1988
    The Ickey Shuffle Is Born

    Ickey Woods performs his shuffle after scoring touchdowns during his explosive rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals. The dance goes national. The NFL fines him. He keeps going.

  • 1991
    Career Cut Short

    Knee injuries end Woods' playing days prematurely. He retires at 26 with 1,525 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns over four seasons.

  • 2014
    GEICO Ad Drops

    Woods reprises the shuffle in a national GEICO commercial set in a deli. The ad airs on cable TV across the US. Viewers love it. Then most people forget about it.

  • 2024
    TikTok Discovers the Audio

    The commercial's audio resurfaces on TikTok. Creators start using "44, that's me!" to soundtrack their own moments of surprising excitement. The sound clocks over 22,000 uses in a short period.

  • Now
    The Shuffle Lives Again

    The Ickey Shuffle reaches an entirely new generation. Young people who were not born in 1988 now know who Ickey Woods is — because of cold cuts and a deli counter.

Why Did the "44 That's Me" Trend Go Viral?

TikTok trends do not go viral by accident. There is almost always a formula underneath the chaos. This one has several clear ingredients.

Ingredient Why It Works
Nostalgia The commercial aired in 2014. Adults who grew up with cable TV immediately recognise it.
Universal relatability Everyone knows the feeling of unexpected good news. The shuffle captures it perfectly.
Flexible format The sound works for dozens of different video types, widening participation.
Genuine emotion Woods is not performing irony. His joy is real, which makes it funnier and warmer.
Contrast High energy + low stakes = comedy gold every time, regardless of who makes the video.
Short and punchy audio The clip is easy to clip and layer. TikTok's algorithm loves well-timed audio drops.

It is not often that a single TikTok sound produces more than one trend, but that is exactly what happened here. Woods' unironic joy has clearly resonated with a very wide audience across different content types.

How the Sound Spread: Usage by Content Type

Based on how the trend has appeared across TikTok, here is an approximate breakdown of the content types using the audio:

Personality reveals
82%
Couple / friendship content
67%
Pet videos
54%
Sports & celebration clips
43%
Nostalgia / throwback content
38%

Chart represents estimated distribution based on observed trend content patterns. Not a formal survey.

How to Join the "44 That's Me" Trend

Good news: this is one of the easiest TikTok trends to participate in. You do not need a ring light, a filming crew, or any particular editing skill. You need one thing — a moment that fits.

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Find the sound — Search "44 That's Me" or "44 THATS ME – 12 Pack of Vibes" in TikTok's audio library
  2. Pick your contrast — Choose a surprising or unexpected reveal that fits the format
  3. Film your content — A simple before/after, or a reveal moment, works perfectly
  4. Add your text overlay — The text is where the punchline lives, keep it short and punchy
  5. Time your reveal — Drop the reveal exactly when Woods shouts "44, that's me!"
  6. Post and tag — Use #44thatsme, #ickeyshuffle, and #44
Pro tip: The funnier your contrast, the better it lands. The gap between expectation and reality is everything. The calmer and more ordinary the setup looks, the harder the reveal hits.

What Has Ickey Woods Been Doing Since?

Life after the NFL was not always easy for Woods, but he has kept moving. That tracks for someone who spent an entire career refusing to stop shuffling.

  • Since retiring, Woods has worked as a sales representative for a meat company, sold security systems, and owned a flooring store in Cincinnati.
  • In 2006, he served as an assistant coach for the Cincinnati Marshals of the National Indoor Football League.
  • He suffered a devastating personal loss in 2010. His son Jovante died suddenly at home due to complications from an asthma attack, aged 16.
  • Woods founded the Jovante Woods Foundation to fund asthma research and organ donor education. "One of the main reasons we started the foundation is to educate people on how serious and severe asthma is," he has said.

That last point deserves to be said plainly: the man behind one of the happiest, most joyful TikTok sounds on the internet has carried real grief. He turned that into a foundation that helps others. The shuffle was never just a dance — it was always just Ickey being Ickey.

Similar TikTok Trends You Might Know

The "44 That's Me" trend fits into a broader category of nostalgia-revival sounds. If you enjoyed this one, you have probably also encountered these:

Trend Origin Format
44 That's Me 2014 GEICO Commercial Reveal / contrast moments
Four Seasons Orlando Baby Viral video, May 2024 Excited reaction format
Roman Empire trend Meme culture, Sept 2023 Hidden thought reveals
September (Earth Wind & Fire) Classic song Creative seasonal montage
Ickey Shuffle revival Bengals 2021–22 playoff run Sports celebration content

More Trending Content Worth Reading

If you want to stay across TikTok culture, language, and viral moments, here are some related reads from the BigWriteHook general knowledge blog:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the "44 That's Me" sound from TikTok original?

No. The audio comes from a 2014 GEICO commercial. TikTokers discovered the clip and began using it as a trending sound years after the original ad aired.

Who is the NFL player in the GEICO commercial?

The player is Ickey Woods, a former running back for the Cincinnati Bengals who played from 1988 to 1991. He is best remembered for the Ickey Shuffle end zone dance.

What number did Ickey Woods wear in the NFL?

Ickey Woods wore number 44 with the Cincinnati Bengals — the same number called out in the GEICO commercial. That detail is not a coincidence. It is the whole joke.

How many times has the "44 That's Me" sound been used?

The sound had been used over 22,000 times on TikTok at the time of peak reporting, with numbers continuing to grow as new creators discovered it.

Can I use the trend for business content?

Yes, many brands have used the format to reveal products, behind-the-scenes moments, or team personalities. Keep the reveal genuine and the text tight. If the contrast isn't there, the joke doesn't land — for a brand or anyone else.


Final Word: Why This Trend Actually Matters

At face value, a retired NFL player celebrating deli meat should not be one of TikTok's bigger moments. And yet here we are.

The "44 That's Me" trend matters because it is a reminder that joy is contagious, nostalgia travels further than most brands think, and the internet has an extraordinary memory for the right kind of weird.

Ickey Woods shuffled his way into NFL history in 1988. He shuffled into living rooms again in 2014. And now, thanks to TikTok's algorithm and 22,000 creators who decided to join in, he is shuffling into the feeds of people who were not even born when he scored his first professional touchdown.

That's not a bad legacy for a man who just really, really wanted some cold cuts.

Wooo. 44, that's me. Wooo.


What Is the 44 Thats Me TikTok Trend NFL Players GEICO Commercial Goes Viral
Saifullah September 5, 2025

Lewis Calvert is the Founder and Editor of Big Write Hook, focusing on digital journalism, culture, and online media. He has 6 years of experience in content writing and marketing and has written and edited many articles on news, lifestyle, travel, business, and technology. Lewis studied Journalism and works to publish clear, reliable, and helpful content while supporting new writers on the Big Write Hook platform. Connect with him on LinkedIn:  Linkedin

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