Roger Staubach throwing the NFL's first Hail Mary pass in 1975 (AP Images).
This year we have had some exciting football fails that have been nicknamed, inspired by the famous “Hail Mary” move from football last year. There are so many “Mary’s” that it can be hard to keep track, so they are all here in one article.
The History Of The Hail Mary
How did a Catholic prayer inspire the name of a football move? Like a lot of things in life, we can blame it on Notre Dame (just kidding). The Fighting Irish brought Catholicism to football forever.
In 1922, Notre Dame began the first Hail Mary prayer just prior to a touchdown in October. This became a tradition before every prospective touchdown very quickly.
Originally, the term referred to any play that seemed like a long shot that worked and then exclusively became just long passes.
It was not until 1975 that the term entered the NFL. Roger Staubach, a Catholic, said he did a Hail Mary prayer before throwing a touchdown pass that won the Dallas Cowboys an NFL playoff game.
Some Noteworthy Passes
Many plays have been nicknamed with this moniker. Some have exciting derivations of the name, but in this section, we’re sticking with Hail Mary’s.
The First College Hail Mary
In what was hailed as the “Game of the Century” between Notre Dame and Ohio State, A half-back (and quarterback?) threw a 19-yard touchdown to a wide receiver for a 19-yard pass, which was difficult when the football was the shape of a watermelon and passing was newish.
The pass resulted in a touchdown that won the game. Which is more surprising: the fact that they got the touchdown and won the game, or that a halfback was throwing it?
The First NFL One
As previously mentioned, Roger Staubach was responsible for the phrase entering the NFL. He chose to do so in a 1975 Divisional play-off game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings were winning 10-14, and there were 24 seconds left in the game, and the Cowboys were in midfield.
Against all the odds, Staubach’s pass down the gridiron to Hall of Famer Drew Pearson resulted in a touchdown. It wasn’t easy on Pearson’s end. He collided with a cornerback who was aiming for a pick and knocked him over. The HOF’er almost dropped the pigskin with the force of the impact but managed to trap it between his thigh and his arm and run the last five feet into the end zone.
The Vikings cried PI, and just like in the 2023 NFL, the refs ignored it. The Vikings fans were pissed, and one threw a glass bottle onto the field, which hit a ref, leaving a gash on his forehead.
A Professional Hail Maryer
Number one draft pick in 1999, Cleveland Brown quarterback Tim Couch goes down in Hail Mary history as the player who won two games as a result of a game-ending Hail Mary. Congrats to you, Couch!
Some Hail Mary Derivations
Of the first three, only the first one was positive. They are all witty in name.
The Hail “Flutie”
Doug Flutie is a former quarterback and important member of the Arab American community (as discussed in this Arab American Heritage Month article) and NFL community.
Prior to being in the NFL, Flutie performed the “Miracle in Miami” in a college football game in 1984. The quarterback was facing a tie on Black Friday, with the score sitting at 31, with seconds on the clock.
Flutie was at his own 37, throwing his 46th pass of the game, battling a 30 mile per hour wind. Despite nearly getting sacked, the quarterback was able to complete the 63-yard pass that landed directly in the arms of his wide receiver.
The Fail Mary
The original Fail Mary (not Russell Wilson’s this season) was also a play by Russell Wilson. He was a Seattle Seahawk at the time, and it was 2012, his rookie season. As any Russell Wilson and/or Seattle Seahawks fan (like me on both counts), this wasn’t our brightest shining moment.
In 2012, the refs had our backs. Another thing that’s changed in 2023 (what is with the Rams and the refs?). The play is called The Fail Mary in addition to the Inaccurate Reception and the intertouchdownception. The turducken of football passes.
The two refs near the play were confused as soon as the play was over. One called touchdown, and the other ref called touchback. There is still debate over whether Golden Tate or M.D. Jennings caught the ball or if they caught it together.
Ultimately, a touchdown was called. The Hawks took the lead, 14-12, and the Packers were pissed. In the mayhem, the refs ignored a PI call that the NFL later confirmed was PI, which angered the fans even more. In this case, no glass bottles were thrown, so there’s that.
The Hell Mary
On another Black Friday, in 2023, the very opposite of the Hail Flutie happened. Instead, we saw the New York Jets lose any glimmer of hope they had left after a moment of celebration. It was hard to watch. Any work the defense did was immediately counteracted by the other side of the ball.
DJ Reed intercepted the ball from Tua at the tail end of the 2nd quarter, with just two seconds on the clock. QB Tim Boyle threw a Hail Mary, and it was caught. By the Miami Dolphins. Jevon Holland caught the ball at the one-yard line and was able to make it 99 yards across the field to make another touchdown.
The final moment of what was the worst Hail Mary to date that stuck out was Tim Boyle trying to tackle Holland as every other one of his teammates failed to stop the safety.
Good Gravy.
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