Super Bowl 60: 10 most pivotal plays in Big Game’s history heading into Patriots-Seahawks

The Super Bowl is about much more than determining the champions of the NFL every year. While that is the basic reason for the game, the Super Bowl is the event that more Americans have in common than anything else.

It is the most watched event on television every year, and the biggest plays in the game are often burned into the memory of the sporting culture. Some of the biggest plays may represent the most remarkable examples of athletic ability, some change the perceptions of excellence and others demonstrate what the best players in the world can accomplish when the pressure is highest.

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will write a new chapter with their performance in Super Bowl 60.

In this piece, we look at the 10 most pivotal plays in Super Bowl history.

10. Cooper DeJean’s 38-yard TD interception return for Philadelphia, Super Bowl 59

The Eagles won their second Super Bowl as they overwhelmed the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs. The 40-22 final score gave the Chiefs some level of respect, but the score was 40-6 before Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to two touchdowns in garbage time.

However, the tone for the runaway was set by Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean when he turned a 10-0 lead into a 17-0 edge when he intercepted a Mahomes pass to DeAndre Hopkins in the right flat and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.

The Eagles’ confidence after that play rose to an unstoppable level, and the Chiefs were just stunned. Mahomes may have been a part of three Super Bowl championship teams, but the team died at that point and there has been no recovery.

9. James White’s 2-yard TD in overtime for New England, Super Bowl 51

The Patriots sent a message to the sporting world that was made famous by New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra — “It ain’t over ’till it’s over.”

This was never more the case than in New England’s 34-28 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons. The Dirty Birds led this game by a 28-3 margin midway through the 3rd quarter. It seemed that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady were dead in the water, but there was no quit in either man. The Patriots mounted a comeback for the ages.

Brady threw two TD passes to James White and Danny Amendola and PK Stephen Gostkowski added a field goal. That set the stage for White’s 1-yard TD run in the final minute of regulation that tied the score.

The running back would win the game in overtime on a tw0-yard burst around the right side that gave the Patriots their 5th Super Bowl triumph and sent the Falcons into oblivion.

8. Santonio Holmes 6-yard TD reception for Pittsburgh, Super Bowl 43

The Steelers won their 6th Super Bowl title with QB Ben Roethlisberger throwing a 6-yard TD pass to Santonio Holmes for the winning touchdown with 35 seconds remaining. Pittsburgh’s 27-23 triumph featured three of the most amazing plays in the history of the Super Bowl, but the Roethlisberger-Holmes TD won the game for the Steelers.

Holmes ran a perfect pattern in the corner of the end zone. Roethlisberger threw the football in a spot where only the receiver could catch it. Holmes made the perfect toe dance as he caught the ball to ensure that the catch was legitimate. The NFL’s replay system challenged the on-field ruling of touchdown and the slow-motion view of the play confirmed the game-winning TD.

7. TE Trey Burton’s 1-yard pass to QB Nick Foles for Philadelphia, Super Bowl 52

The Philadelphia Eagles seemed like interlopers in the Super Bowl as head coach Doug Pederson and backup QB Nick Foles were challenging Belichick and Brady. Instead of getting blown out, the Eagles went punch for punch with the Patriots and emerged with a 41-33 triumph.

The Eagles served notice late in the first half that they would not succumb when Pederson called for a play called “Philly-Philly.” The play saw tight end Trey Burton get the ball from Foles and roll out to his right. The quarterback took off for the end zone and Burton saw the wide open Foles and tossed him the ball. He made the catch and the Eagles had a touchdown that gave them the confidence to win the game.

6. Lynn Swann’s high-flying 53-yard catch for Pittsburgh, Super Bowl 10

Prior to Super Bowl 10, the game regularly had a reputation for blowouts or boring outcomes. The Steelers and Dallas Cowboys turned out to be the most exciting and well-played game to that point. The Steelers, led by Terry Bradshaw and one of the greatest defensive teams in NFL history, emerged with a thrilling 21-17 victory.

However, the moment to remember from this game was spectacular artistry provided by Steelers wideout Lynn Swann. He went deep downfield in the second quarter and was covered well by Cowboys defensive back Mark Washington. However, Swann elevated high over the Cowboys cover man and came down with a 53-yard reception (53-scond mark) that demonstrated his remarkable athleticism, desire and big-play ability.

5. Matt Snell’s 4-yard TD run for New York Jets, Super Bowl 3

This TD run was a basic standard of professional football, as Matt Snell took a handoff from Joe Namath. He sprinted to his left and beat the vaunted Baltimore Colts defense for the first TD of the game. The Jets were the weak sisters from the American Football League and the Colts were the NFL’s most powerful team.

The Colts were supposed to run the Jets out of the Orange Bowl in Miami as 18-point favorites. However, Namath guaranteed the victory when pressed by Baltimore supporters. Namath and the Jets rose to the occasion in the shocking 16-7 upset that gave the AFL credibility and legitimacy.

The opening touchdown gave the Jets control of a game that they would never let slip through their grasp.

4. David Tyree’s amazing 43-yard catch for the New York Giants, Super Bowl 43

The Patriots were hoping to complete a perfect 19-0-0 season and supplant the 1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0-0). They had the lead in the 4th quarter, but Eli Manning and David Tyree combined to ruin New England’s perfection.

The Giants had fought hard throughout the game and had a 10-7 lead, but Tom Brady threw a 6-yard TD pass to Randy Moss with 2:42 to go in the 4th quarter.

The Giants responded with a late drive and had a 3rd-and-5 play from the Giants 44 with 1:15 remaining. Manning escaped 2 potential sacks and hurled a 32-yard pass to Tyree. The receiver caught the ball on top of his own helmet and the Giants had a first down at the New England 24. Four plays later, Manning threw the game-winning 13-yard TD pass to Plaxico Burress with 39 seconds left. The Giants had a 17-14 triumph and a shocking Super Bowl memory.

3. John Elway’s helicopter run for Denver, Super Bowl 32

This was a momentous Super Bowl for multiple reasons. The Broncos had been beaten and regularly embarrassed in all their previous Super Bowl appearances. Green Bay was the defending Super Bowl champions and were significant favorites. Additionally, the NFC had beaten the AFC representative in 13 straight Super Bowls.

The Broncos refused to succumb to Brett Favre and the Packers. With the score tied at 17-17 late in the third period,  Elway scrambled 8 yards on a 3rd-and-6 play from the Green Bay 12. Elway got hammered as he dove for the first down. He whirled like a propeller as he flew through the air. The Broncos would break the tie with a TD.

They scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run by Terrell Davis with less than 2 minutes remaining.

2. James Harrison 100-yard TD interception return for Pittsburgh, Super Bowl 43

James Harrison’s amazing 100-yard interception return for a touchdown on the final play of the first half was shocking. It was similar to a marathon runner winning the race by coming from behind and diving through the finish line.

On a first-down play with 18 seconds left in the first half, Arizona QB Kurt Warner threw a pass in the end zone intended for Anquan Boldin. Steelers linebacker James Harrison picked the ball off at the goal line and took off for the opposite end zone with the seconds ticking off the clock. Harrison refused to go down as he fought off fatigue and tacklers and made it into the end zone for a score that gave the Steelers a 17-7 lead.

It was perhaps the most shocking play in Super Bowl history.

1. Malcolm Butler’s interception steals victory for New England, Super Bowl 49

The Seattle Seahawks were on the verge of winning their second consecutive Super Bowl as they had driven from their own 20 to the New England 1 with 26 seconds left in the final quarter. QB Russell Wilson had the game’s best short-yardage weapon in Marshawn Lynch at his disposal on 2nd-and-goal, and all the quarterback had to do was had the ball off to Lynch and he would crash into the end zone and the Seahawks would win. That was the thought of most observers.

Instead, Wilson tried to throw the ball to wideout Ricardo Lockette on a slant pattern and cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted the quick pass. It was as if the Patriots knew what was coming, and that was because Belichick’s defense had practiced for that play prior to the game.

Ernie Adams, Belichick’s right-hand man, had observed the play on film and he advised the coach that Seattle would use it at the goal line. They did, Butler did his job and the Patriots had a shocking 28-24 triumph and the most pivotal play in Super Bowl history.

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