The 50th anniversary of ‘The Immaculate Reception’ was recently celebrated in December. It stands as one of the best, if not the best, playoff moment in NFL history.
Everyone should know what happened, but just in case you don’t, here is a quick synopsis. With about 20 seconds left in the game, Pittsburgh trailed Oakland 7-6 in an AFC divisional playoff game. On fourth down, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass to John Fuqua about 25 yards downfield.
Fuqua collided with Raiders defender Jack Tatum as the ball arrived, and it bounced backward and into the hands of running back Franco Harris. He sprinted toward the end zone and scored the go-ahead touchdown with just five seconds left.
Here is something you might not know about that game. Former Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler put the Raiders ahead 7-6 with a minute and a half left to play on a 30-yard touchdown run.
So, instead of Stabler being remembered for his playoff heroics, Harris and the Steelers got all the glory, a moment that is still celebrated 50 years later.
Alabama still has its fair share of NFL playoff moments. Here are some of them, in no particular order.
Sports Illustrated
Joe Namath guarantee
The Super Bowl was in its infancy in 1969 when quarterback Joe Namath led his New York Jets into Super Bowl III against the favored Baltimore Colts in Miami.
Namath was the brash, young star of the league who did a little too much talking during the leadup to the game. During the Miami Touchdown Club dinner where Namath was speaking, a fan shouted out something to Namath. He didn’t take kindly to the remark and said, “Wait a minute, let’s hold on. You Baltimore guys have been talking all week, but I’ve got news for you, buddy. We’re gonna win the game. I guarantee it.”
The news media quickly picked up on the quote and ran with it. The quote brought some extra attention to the game, but Namath backed up his comments and the Jets won 16-7. Namath passed for 206 yards.
The game is known for the guarantee, but the image of Broadway Joe exiting the field with his index finger waving in the air is an iconic NFL moment.
Mandatory Credit: Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY Sports
Hook and lateral
The game was known as the ‘Epic in Miami,’ and involved former Crimson Tide running back Tony Nathan in one of the most memorable playoff moments.
Nathan’s Dolphins trailed the Chargers in the 1982 AFC division round. In the final moments of the first half, Dolphins quarterback Don Strock connected with receiver Duriel Harris on a curl route. The defense collapsed on him, but Strock pitched the ball back to a trailing Nathan, who did the rest. He coasted 25 yards to the end zone for a touchdown to give Miami some momentum at the half.
The Chargers won in overtime, but Nathan’s moment was one of the more electrifying moments in playoff history.
Sports Illustrated
Ghost to the Post
Here is a playoff instance where Stabler was on the winning side.
In the 1977 AFC division round, the Oakland Raiders trailed the Baltimore Colts by three points with just two minutes remaining. “Snake” Stabler chunked a 45-yard pass to tight end Dave Casper, who made an over-the-shoulder catch to the Colts’ 15-yard line. The Raiders tied the game with a field goal to send it to overtime.
Snake and Casper, nicknamed “Ghost” after the cartoon character Casper, connected again in OT, this time for the game-winning touchdown.
Oakland won Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings.
Scroll to Continue
Sports Illustrated
Sea of Hands
Here is another Stabler playoff moment.
The Raiders trailed the Miami Dolphins in the 1974 AFC division round with under a minute to play. Stabler dropped back to pass from the Dolphins’ 8-yard line, but couldn’t find an open receiver. Stabler scrambled out of the pocket, and just before being tackled, he heaved a pass to the end zone in the vicinity of Raider receiver Clarence Davis and three Dolphin defenders.
Davis somehow held onto the pass through the throng of Dolphins defenders for the game-winning touchdown. It kept the Dolphins from its chance to win a third straight Super Bowl.
Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
The Fumble
Not many defensive plays make these lists of memorable playoff moments. Defensive back Jeremiah Castille was involved with one in 1988.
Castille’s Denver Broncos were trying to hold off the Cleveland Browns in the AFC championship game. The Broncos led 38-33 late in the fourth quarter but the Browns were on the move.
The Browns reached the 8-yard line with a minute left when Earnest Byner took a handoff and ran toward the end zone for a sure touchdown. Castille flew in and stuck his hand into Byner’s midsection, which knocked the ball loose at the 3-yard line. Castille recovered the ball for the critical turnover.
A year earlier, the Broncos beat the Browns in the AFC title game with another iconic moment—John Elway’s “The Drive.” The Broncos won both games and advanced to the Super Bowl.
Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY NETWORK
Ice Bowl
This game had everything: Drama, Hall of Fame coaches and players and a championship on the line. And it took place in an environment with a minus-15 degree temperature and wind chill of minus-48 degrees.
It was a miserable experience for all involved, but the finish was fantastic.
Former Alabama quarterback Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers trailed the Dallas Cowboys in the 1967 NFL Championship Game by three points in the final seconds. The Packers had the ball at the Cowboys’ 1-yard line. Starr called his own number and pushed behind his offensive line and into the end zone for the winning score.
The Packers won to reach Super Bowl II against the Oakland Raiders.
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
Red Right 88
Ozzie Newsome was one of the most dominant NFL tight ends to ever play the game. It’s unfortunate he never got to experience the joy of a Super Bowl win as a player with the Cleveland Browns.
He came close in 1981. The Browns trailed the Oakland Raiders 14-12 in an AFC division game with about two minutes to play. Just like with the Ice Bowl, the conditions were extremely cold. At 4 degrees, it wasn’t as bad as the Ice Bowl, but it was still difficult conditions. Browns kicker Don Cockroft missed two field goals in the game.
That may have contributed to the play call when Cleveland reached the Raiders’ 13-yard line with under a minute to play. The Browns called Red Right 88. Browns quarterback Brian Sipe tried to throw a pass in the end zone to Newsome, but Raider defender Mike Davis made the interception to seal the win.
The Raiders later won Super Bowl XV.
Bama in the NFL Database
Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
Tracking Active Alabama Crimson Players in the NFL
Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL: Breakdown by Team
Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL by Position
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL By Team
Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players Drafted by Round
NFL Draft: All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Selections by NFL Teams
Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft by Position
