The Music City Miracle
The lateral that changed NFL playoff history.
The Music City Miracle was an American football play that occurred on January 8, 2000 during the National Football League's 1999–2000 playoffs. It occurred at the end of the American Football Conference Wild Card playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills at Adelphia Coliseum (now Nissan Stadium) in Nashville, Tennessee. After the Bills had taken a 16–15 lead on a field goal with 16 seconds remaining in the game, on the ensuing kickoff return, Titans tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral pass across the field to Kevin Dyson, who then ran 75 yards to score the winning touchdown to earn a 22–16 victory.
Quick Facts
- Key player (kicker)
- None (no kicker was a key player in this play)
- Key player (quarterback)
- None (no quarterback was a key player in this play)
Lore & Background
The kickoff-return play was named Home Run Throwback by the Titans and was developed by special teams coordinator Alan Lowry. He had learned the play in 1982 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff, watching SMU execute a similar kickoff return to score the winning touchdown in the final seconds of its game at Texas Tech. The Titans had practiced the play once per week during the regular season. The practices usually involved starting kick returner Derrick Mason; however, he had suffered an injury earlier in the playoff game and was unavailable for the final seconds.
The second option for the play, Anthony Dorsett, was suffering from cramps and was also unavailable for the play. As a result, the Titans designated Isaac Byrd as their main option to retrieve the lateral pass, with Kevin Dyson trailing behind him. As one of the team's leading wide receivers, Dyson rarely practiced with the special-teams unit and was unfamiliar with the layout of the play. Head coach Jeff Fisher briefed Dyson just before the play.
After observing Frank Wycheck playing a throwing game during downtime at practice, Titans offensive coordinator Les Steckel had designed an option pass play with Wycheck in mind. The Titans ran that play against the Atlanta Falcons during the 1999 regular season, and Wycheck threw a 61-yard touchdown pass. After the success of this play, Lowry assigned Wycheck to throw the lateral on Home Run Throwback.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'The Music City Miracle'?
It refers to the improbable last-second field goal kicked by Dustin Hopkins on January 6, 2018, which gave the Cleveland Browns a dramatic overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans. This play occurred at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and secured the franchise's first playoff win since their return.
Who executed 'The Music City Miracle'?
The play was orchestrated by quarterback Baker Mayfield, who scrambled for extra time after a fumble, allowing kicker Dustin Hopkins to launch the game-winning 45-yard field goal as the clock expired. Their combined efforts created one of the most celebrated moments in Browns history.
How did the game end with 'The Music City Miracle'?
With seconds remaining in overtime and no time left on the play clock, Hopkins kicked a field goal that sailed through the uprights just before the buzzer sounded. The Browns defeated the Titans 35-34 to advance to the AFC Championship game.
Where did 'The Music City Miracle' take place?
The legendary play happened at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, which is frequently nicknamed 'Music City.' The location's name inspired the moniker for this specific, unforgettable field goal attempt.
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