“I just closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary,” said Staubach. The pass earned its name when an elated Staubach talked the press after the game his victory over the Vikings. Staubach would lead the Cowboys all the way to Super Bowl X, where they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-17. The ball found its way into the arms of wide receiver Drew Pearson, who ran it in for a last-second touchdown. The ball snapped, Staubach dropped back and threw the ball as far as he could. There was no other call Staubach, the former Naval Academy cadet, could make in that situation.
Referring to a pass as a “Hail Mary,” however, was generally restricted to desperate plays made by Catholic schools, like Notre Dame - until 1975, that is.Ī 1975 divisional playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Roger Staubach-led Dallas Cowboys saw the Cowboys down 14-10, 85 yards from the endzone, on 4th down and 16 with just 24 seconds left in the game. Football is a very old sport and desperation in football dates back to the beginning of the game itself. The desperation pass existed well back into the 1930s. It’s the “Hail Mary” Pass, and it was made famous by that name with a little help from the Naval Academy’s famous alumnus and Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Roger Staubach. Sure, it’s a supreme letdown when the pass fails, but when it succeeds, the crowds go wild. Sometimes, they get a little help from less divine sources. Stopped just short of a first down or goal, the quarterback drops back and chucks the ball as fast and far as he can, along with a prayer for a receiver - any receiver - to catch the ball in the endzone. One team is down six or seven points and they’re making the drive across the field in the fourth quarter with just seconds left on the clock. It’s probably the most exciting moment of any football game - and it doesn’t matter if the game is on a Friday, Saturday, or a Sunday.
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