There are hundreds of plays in a given football game. Over the course of a season, you are looking at literally thousands of plays per team spread across an entire league. But there are definitely more than a few that stand out and stand the test of time. Here are four in particular that have not only held up but will likely live on for a long time to come.
- Malcom Butler’s Interception
The Patriots were established, but the Seahawks were ready to be the new bully on the block. Already defending champions, they faced the veteran Patriots in one of the greatest Super Bowls of the modern era. But one play stands out. Instead of giving the ball to all-pro Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks threw it and Malcom Butler was right there to make the biggest interception of his career to seal the victory for the Patriots.
- The Music City Miracle
Trick plays rarely work, but when they do, they are remembered forever. The Titans were trailing the Buffalo Bills at the end of their playoff matchup. What happened lives on to this day. A lateral on the following kick-return wound up going the distance, propelling the Titans to a win and an eventual Super Bowl appearance.
- The Helmet Catch
The Patriots were unstoppable. Literally. The 18-0 Patriots had just one win left and the Giants were standing in the way. The game was tight, but late in the game, Eli Manning lobbed a ball up that looked sure to be intercepted. David Tyree, using his helmet, instead came down with the most improbable catch in NFL history. It led to a touchdown and a stunning Giants victory.
- The Catch
Before any other iteration of catch, there is THE Catch. The 49ers were on the cusp but had to take down the legendary Dallas Cowboys. A high throw into the corner of the end zone appeared overthrown until Dwight Clark came down with it. It proved to be a changing of the guard in the NFC as the 49ers won their first of four Super Bowls in the 1980s.