Red Right 88
Encyclopedia
Red Right 88 was the designation of a Cleveland Browns
passing play that was called during the January 4, 1981 American Football Conference
divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders
; in the years since, the term has been used to refer to the game itself and its ending.
Trailing 14-12 with less than a minute remaining in the game, the Browns had the ball on the Raiders 13-yard line and were in position for a potential game-winning field goal
. Browns quarterback Brian Sipe
called a time out and conferred with head coach
Sam Rutigliano
, who called a pass play, "Red Right 88" and instructed Sipe to "throw it into Lake Erie" if the play was anything less than wide open. On the ensuing play, Sipe chose to force a pass to tight end
Ozzie Newsome
. However, the pass was intercepted in the end zone by Raiders defensive back Mike Davis
who had cut in front of Newsome's square in pass route, putting an end to the Browns season. Oakland subsequently advanced to the AFC conference championship, where they defeated the San Diego Chargers, and went on to win Super Bowl XV
over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The logic behind trying for the touchdown was that Browns kicker Don Cockroft
had previously missed two field goal attempts, had one extra point
attempt blocked and had another aborted following a bad snap. In addition, the weather was cold and windy, and the field was muddy. "What many people don't know about that situation is that I was a long way from being 100 percent physically in 1980," Cockroft said in a 2006 interview. "I had two herniated discs and needed four epidurals to just get through the season. I probably should have gone on IR." Cockroft was released by the Browns at the end of their 1981 training camp.
Had the play been executed properly, it would have presumably resulted in a touchdown. The primary receiver, Dave Logan, was crossing left-to-right, had a step on his defender and was open at the six-yard line. Sipe misread the defensive back's movements and thought Logan was covered so he went to the secondary receiver and threw in traffic where it was intercepted.
The play call itself has since become an infamous part of Cleveland
sports lore, ranking with The Drive
, The Fumble
, The Catch, Edgar Renteria
's Single
, The Shot
, and The Decision
as a bad memory that symbolizes the 46-year professional championship drought that has plagued the city.
The game itself, with a temperature of 4 °F (-15.6 °C) (with a -36 F wind chill) was the coldest NFL
game since the legendary Ice Bowl
of December 31, 1967 that pitted the Dallas Cowboys
against the Green Bay Packers
. Just one year later, even colder conditions prevailed in the AFC Championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals
and San Diego Chargers
, also known as the Freezer Bowl
.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
passing play that was called during the January 4, 1981 American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
; in the years since, the term has been used to refer to the game itself and its ending.
Trailing 14-12 with less than a minute remaining in the game, the Browns had the ball on the Raiders 13-yard line and were in position for a potential game-winning field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. Browns quarterback Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe
Brian Winfield Sipe is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985....
called a time out and conferred with head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Sam Rutigliano
Sam Rutigliano
Sam Rutigliano is a former National Football League head coach.Rutigliano, the son of Italian immigrants, played high school football at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. He played college football at Tennessee and Tulsa. He coached at the high school level in New York...
, who called a pass play, "Red Right 88" and instructed Sipe to "throw it into Lake Erie" if the play was anything less than wide open. On the ensuing play, Sipe chose to force a pass to tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Ozzie Newsome
Ozzie Newsome
Ozzie Newsome Jr. and a 1974 graduate of Colbert County High School in Leighton, Alabama, is a former American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns, an inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the current General Manager of the Baltimore Ravens.-College career:Before his NFL career,...
. However, the pass was intercepted in the end zone by Raiders defensive back Mike Davis
Mike Davis (American football)
Michael Leonard Davis is a retired American football safety.-College career:Davis played college football at the University of Colorado.-Professional career:...
who had cut in front of Newsome's square in pass route, putting an end to the Browns season. Oakland subsequently advanced to the AFC conference championship, where they defeated the San Diego Chargers, and went on to win Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The logic behind trying for the touchdown was that Browns kicker Don Cockroft
Don Cockroft
Donald Lee Cockroft is a former American football punter and placekicker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns...
had previously missed two field goal attempts, had one extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
attempt blocked and had another aborted following a bad snap. In addition, the weather was cold and windy, and the field was muddy. "What many people don't know about that situation is that I was a long way from being 100 percent physically in 1980," Cockroft said in a 2006 interview. "I had two herniated discs and needed four epidurals to just get through the season. I probably should have gone on IR." Cockroft was released by the Browns at the end of their 1981 training camp.
Had the play been executed properly, it would have presumably resulted in a touchdown. The primary receiver, Dave Logan, was crossing left-to-right, had a step on his defender and was open at the six-yard line. Sipe misread the defensive back's movements and thought Logan was covered so he went to the secondary receiver and threw in traffic where it was intercepted.
The play call itself has since become an infamous part of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
sports lore, ranking with The Drive
The Drive
The Drive refers to an offensive series in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game played on January 11, 1987, between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. Broncos quarterback John Elway, in a span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, led his team 98 yards to tie the game with 37 seconds...
, The Fumble
The Fumble
In American football, The Fumble refers to a specific incident in the AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos on January 17, 1988 at Mile High Stadium...
, The Catch, Edgar Renteria
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
's Single
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
, The Shot
The Shot
The Shot is the name of the series-winning basket made by Michael Jordan in the 5th game of the 1989 Eastern Conference First Round against the Cavs, in the Coliseum at Richfield...
, and The Decision
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
as a bad memory that symbolizes the 46-year professional championship drought that has plagued the city.
The game itself, with a temperature of 4 °F (-15.6 °C) (with a -36 F wind chill) was the coldest NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
game since the legendary Ice Bowl
NFL Championship Game, 1967
The 1967 National Football League Championship Game between the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers and the Eastern Conference champion Dallas Cowboys was the 35th championship game in NFL history. The game was held at Lambeau Field on December 31, 1967. The winner of the game was...
of December 31, 1967 that pitted the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. Just one year later, even colder conditions prevailed in the AFC Championship game between the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, also known as the Freezer Bowl
Freezer Bowl
In NFL lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill...
.