After Green Bay Packers tight end Richard Rodgers came down with the game-winning Hail Mary in Detroit, a lot of people were quick to point out that his father — Richard Rodgers Sr. — played a key role in what has become known as The Play.
It was 1982 and Rodgers’ Cal Bears were facing Stanford in what is annually referred to as The Big Game. If you watch sports at all, you’ve seen the replay.
It ends with Cal’s Kevin Moen charging through the Stanford band, which thought the game was over and started walking on the field, reaching the end zone and smashing a trombone player in his exuberant state.
That poor egghead trombone player getting pounded makes me laugh every time.
Anyway, we knew Rodgers didn’t score the touchdown, but we had no idea where he was during the play or how he contributed.
It turns out he handled the ball twice and lateraled it twice. Rodgers is No. 5 in blue.
He receives the first lateral after Moen initially fields the ball. Rodgers pitches it to Dwight Garner, who gets a few yards, gets surrounded and then pitches it back to Rodgers.
Rodgers will then pitch it to Mariet Ford, who gains a huge chunk of yardage before pitching it back to Moen for the touchdown.
Here it is.
That is still a mind-boggling play. Thanks for posting it.
That play is legendary. The Miracle in Motown is more than Rodgers to Rodgers. It’s also the face mask play setting it up.
I’ve never seen any other play from this Cal Stanford game, but my guess is historically you’ll always see the “face mask” play as well.
Not sure what point I’m making. I guess that the Cal-Stanford finish is the greatest single play to end a game and maybe the Packers are the most unlikely finish ever.
Saw that before but first time I realy looked at it.
That photographer certainly kept his cool. Must have some great shots. And that tuba laying on the ground indicating the player must have thougt I have to get away from this quick and better so without that thing around my neck.
And of course that that trombone player, so intentional, LOL