One week from Sunday will be the 59th installment of the Super Bowl. “The Big Game” has produced its fair share of plays throughout its history. I’m old enough to be alive for 47 of them – don’t judge – and I’ve paid attention to 42 of them. But what I’ve witnessed has been nothing short of spectacular. Everyone has their list of favorite plays and I’m happy to share my top five greatest Super Bowl plays of all time.
(By the way, I couldn’t embed them from YouTube because NFL gonna NFL. So, you’ll have to search and watch them for yourself.)
5. “I-Right, 70 Chip” – Super Bowl XVII
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Fifth on my list of the greatest Super Bowl plays according to me is “I-Right, 70 Chip.”
In Super Bowl XVII, the Washington Redskins faced the Miami Dolphins. This Super Bowl was held in Pasadena after the strike-shortened 1982 season. Down 17-13 with 10:28 remaining, the Redskins faced fourth and 1 at the Dolphins 43-yard line. Rather than punt, head coach Joe Gibbs decided to go for it. Quarterback Joe Theismann handed the ball off to veteran running back John Riggins, who got the first down. But Riggins wasn’t done; he broke the tackle of Dolphins cornerback Don McNeal and then kept running until he hit the end zone. The Redskins would go up by three and score a touchdown on the next drive and win, 27-17. Riggins earned MVP honors, finishing the game with 38 carries for a then-record 166 yards. It would be broken in the next Super Bowl by Marcus Allen of the Los Angeles Raiders against… the Redskins.
Where was I? I was five years old sitting on my couch in my family’s apartment in New Jersey when I watched this play. I remember the Super Bowl being called the “’Skins” versus the “Smurfs” (because The Smurfs were popular at the time and the Dolphins wore blue). It’s one of my first football memories and it’s stuck in my mind since.
4. “The Tackle” (or “One Yard Short”) – Super Bowl XXXIV
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Fourth on my list of the greatest Super Bowl plays according to me is “The Tackle.”
In Super Bowl XXXIV, the St. Louis Rams faced the Tennessee Titans. Both teams finished the 1999 season 13-3, but the big story of the season – and the game – was Kurt Warner. Warner emerged from obscurity to win league MVP honors. The Rams sprinted to a 16-0 lead before Steve McNair, Eddie George, and the Titans caught up. They came all the way back to tie the score at 16 after an Al Del Greco field goal with 2:16 remaining. At the time, it was the largest lead surrendered ever in a Super Bowl. On the following Rams drive, Warner hit Isaac Bruce with a 73-yard passing score in ONE PLAY to take the lead, 23-16. The Titans took over with 1:48 remaining at their own 12-yard line. McNair lead the Titans down the field to the Rams’ 10-yard line.
With six seconds remaining, McNair passed to wide receiver Kevin Dyson and it looked as if Dyson would cross the goal line. But Rams linebacker Mike Jones – who was assigned tight end Frank Wycheck in coverage – wrapped up Dyson. Dyson stretched out the ball with his right arm for the goal line… and was one yard short. The Rams won their first Super Bowl in one of the most thrilling endings in game history.
Where was I? I was a 22-year old writing student watching the game at my brother’s townhouse. He, his wife, and other family members watched the game on the largest TV I’ve ever seen at the time. It was a largely uneventful game… until the final two minutes. Expect the unexpected in the Super Bowl!
3. “Third and 13” – Super Bowl XXV
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Third on my list of the greatest Super Bowl plays according to me is “Third and 13.”
In Super Bowl XXV, the New York Giants faced the Buffalo Bills. This game featured two heavyweights: the Bills, touting their K-Gun offense, and the Giants, a no-nonsense team built on defense and ball control. The Giants were down 12-10 at the beginning of the second half. With 8:57 remaining, they faced third and 13 from the Bills’ 32. Quarterback Jeff Hostetler found wide receiver Mark Ingram at the 25-yard line. Ingram broke FIVE tackles for a 14-yard gain. The Giants maintained possession for over FOUR AND A HALF MORE MINUTES. Game MVP Otis Anderson rushed in a 1-yard touchdown as the Giants took a 17-12 lead. The drive lasted 16 plays and 9:59, which is still a Super Bowl record for longest time of possession drive.
The teams exchanged the lead throughout the second half, but the Bills had one last chance to win the game. They were down 20-19 with eight seconds remaining. We all know what would happen at the end: Scott Norwood missed a 47-yard field goal (another notable play: “Wide Right”). Where was I? I was 12 years old and in the seventh grade. My mom let me and my brothers skip the evening church service to watch this game. We had a big party with church friends and watched the Giants win.
(Oh, and the game featured the greatest rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” ever at the Super Bowl by Whitney Houston. I still get chills listening to it all these years later. We miss you, Whitney.)
2. “Montana to Taylor” (or “The Drive”) – Super Bowl XXIII
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Second on my list of greatest Super Bowl plays according to me is “Montana to Taylor.”
In Super Bowl XXIII, the San Francisco 49ers faced the Cincinnati Bengals. This was the first Super Bowl to be played at Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium). The Niners were a seven-point favorite entering this game. However, the Bengals were more formidable than expected, taking a 16-13 lead with 3:44 remaining. Following a penalty on the ensuing kick return, the Niners started at their own eight-yard line with 3:10 remaining. Quarterback Joe Montana would lead the Niners down the field to the Bengals 10-yard line in 2:36. Would they kick the field goal with :34 remaining? They would not.
Wide receiver John Taylor made the Pro Bowl during the 1988 season, but as a punt returner. He wasn’t Montana’s second, or even third, favorite target during the game. On the final play of the drive, Montana found Taylor on a crossing pattern in the end zone and the Niners took the lead. Taylor had one reception for 10 yards – as it would turn out, it was the game-winning touchdown. This pass is considered one of the most memorable in Super Bowl history. Where was I? I was ten years old watching on Beta because we recorded the game during evening church service. The power went out while we watched on delay! We missed out on watching this play live, so we watched the rest of the game the next night after dinner.
1. “The Helmet Catch” – Super Bowl XLII
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And finally, the first of my list of the greatest Super Bowl plays according to me is “The Helmet Catch.”
In Super Bowl XLII, the New York Giants faced the New England Patriots. The Patriots were 16-0 in the regular season, including a Week 16 victory over the Giants. Entering the game, the Patriots were looking to become the second team in the Super Bowl Era to finish with a perfect record. The Giants defense to keep a record-breaking Patriots offense in check all game long, sacking Tom Brady five times. The Patriots took a 14-10 lead late in the fourth quarter after Brady threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss. The Giants took possession with 2:45 remaining and on the eighth play of the drive, they faced third and six from their own 44.
Quarterback Eli Manning went back to pass and was pressured by the Patriots defense. Initially in the grasp of defensive end Jarvis Green and defensive tackle Richard Seymour, Manning escaped. He threw a desperate heave downfield in wide receiver David Tyree’s direction. Tyree went skyward with defensive back Rodney Harrison draped on him. He came up with the catch, pinned the football to his helmet, and maintained possession. The Giants earned a new set of downs and Manning found Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown with :39 remaining. The defense took care of the rest and the Giants defeated the Patriots in one of the biggest upsets ever. Where was I? Unlike previous memories as a child and teenager, I was a grown man watching the game with some great friends.
Football fans have their all-time lists, and this one is no different. But why were these the greatest plays in Super Bowl history according to me? Because I remember where I was when I saw every one of them. Where will you be on February 9 when history is made again? Take note of where you are because you’ll remember it for a lifetime.