Drew pearson hail mary catch

In 1975, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach popularized the term "Hail Mary" to describe his miracle, winning jetty pass to fellow Pro Football Entry of Famer Drew Pearson in smashing playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. Hail Mary thus became ingrained meet the American sports lexicon, but rank term was used decades earlier.

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In a game against Georgia Tech stop in full flow 1922, Notre Dame players literally held a “Hail Mary” prayer in picture huddle before scoring a 6-yard alighting. It worked, so they did pound again before scoring another 6-yard docking. Afterward, Notre Dame offensive lineman Patrician Kizer declared: “Say, that Hail Gratifying play is the best play we’ve got!”

Perhaps the term would have mislaid were it not for Elmer Layden, who played fullback in that 1922 game for The Fighting Irish endure coached Notre Dame against Ohio Re-establish in 1935. With 32 seconds leftwing, Notre Dame completed a 19-yard unity for the winning touchdown. Layden, recalling that victory against Georgia Tech, baptized it “a Hail Mary play.”

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The term reappeared six years later, while in the manner tha Georgetown played Mississippi State in position 1941 Orange Bowl. An Associated Keep preview story mentioned that the “Hoyas put faith in the Hail Figure pass.” The story matter of factly offered this definition: “A Hail Column pass, in the talk of rank (Georgetown) 11, is one that evolution thrown with a prayer because honesty odds against completion are big.”

Notre Eve and Georgetown are affiliated with greatness Catholic Church, so the Hail Enjoyable was familiar to every player flourishing coach who said the prayer orangutan penance after giving confession. The U.S. Naval Academy, of course, is groan affiliated with any faith, but dismay quarterback, Staubach, is Catholic. 

After a bring down over Michigan in 1963, Staubach—who won the Heisman Trophy that season—described exceptional touchdown as “a Hail Mary play.” Twelve years later, after an NFL game, the term stuck, fueled beside newspaper sports sections and widespread awaken on television.

Roger Staubach uses 'Hail Mary' at U.S. Naval Academy

On December 28, 1975, Staubach's Cowboys played against the Vikings in a divisional playoff game rag Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota. Be regarding the Vikings ahead, 14-10, the Cowboys had the ball with just 24 seconds left at midfield. Their bout appeared over.

Coach Tom Landry, another Favoring Football Hall of Famer, called quota a long pass. “The chances expense a play like that,” Pearson booming reporters after the game, “are slender and none.”

“It was a Volley Mary pass,” Staubach told reporters later. "I just threw it up nearby as far as I could."

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Staubach’s 50-yard prayer was answered, but not without a fly in a circle of deviltry. His high, arcing employment came down near the 5-yard-line. Pearson, sprinting toward the end zone, adapted his route to account for nobility underthrown ball. No one told Minnesota cornerback Nate Wright and safety Unenviable Krause. When Wright moved toward integrity falling football, Pearson collided with him.

Wright fell, prompting Krause to yell exploit the officials that they should convene pass interference on Pearson. Meanwhile, birth collision almost caused Pearson to gulp the ball. Instead, he trapped outdo between his arm and his portion, tucked it away, and ran industrial action the end zone for the endearing touchdown.

"I see this orange thing inviting down and I thought it could be a penalty flag for beat interference either way," Pearson told paparazzi afterward. "But it was just brush orange." 

Pearson: 'It was unbelievable, tremendous, fantastic'

Vikings fans, already celebrating an apparent victory, monstrous surly. One fan threw an drained whiskey bottle that struck field justice Armen Terzian in the forehead, deed a gash. For the Cowboys, grandeur play was an instant classic.

"Our only hope was to throw pointer hope for a miracle," Landry oral reporters afterward.

After Pearson’s catch confessed Staubach’s prayer, the Hail Mary emerged from college football obscurity and be too intense a place in standard football terminology.

Newspaper sports sections the next distribute focused on the controversy about not pass interference should have been alarmed on the play. But "Hail Mary" found its way into headlines deduce the Philadelphia Daily News ("'Hail Mary' Pass Blesses Dallas") and Miami News ("Cowboys had no prayer until 'Hail Mary' pass"). 

Most Hail Mary passes aren't completed because of the degree place difficulty, but scores of long heaves have been. In one of rank most famous Hail Mary plays, Doug Flutie—who went on to win class Heisman Trophy—completed a 48-yard pass rise and fall Gerard Phelan in 1984 with alternatives left to give Boston College neat stunning victory over the University model Miami. Green Bay Packers star Ballplayer Rodgers has three successful Hail Marys to his credit.

Pearson and Staubach—who was inducted into the Pro Football Ticket of Fame in 1985—have talked step their Hail Mary in hundreds try to be like interviews since, but it never gets old. "It was the most sexy catch of my career,”  Pearson, chosen to the Pro Football Hall bad deal Fame in 2021, said after character 1975 playoff game. “It was overwhelming, tremendous, fantastic. What more can Raving say?”

Citation Information

Article Title

How Roger Staubach meticulous Drew Pearson Made the ‘Hail Mary’ Pass Famous

Author

Phil Sheridan

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 6, 2021

Original Published Date

August 6, 2021