Super Bowl XXII
Encyclopedia
Super Bowl XXII was an American football
game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California
to decide the National Football League
(NFL) champion following the 1987 regular season
. The National Football Conference
(NFC) champion Washington Redskins
(14–4) won their second Super Bowl
by defeating the American Football Conference
(AFC) champion Denver Broncos
(12–5–1), 42–10, scoring 42 unanswered points after being down 10–0.
The Redskins set the following Super Bowl records in the victory:
Both teams combined to set the following records:
Redskins quarterback
Doug Williams
was named the Super Bowl MVP
, completing 18 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception. Williams became the first player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and throw four in a half. Williams was also the first African-American quarterback
to play in a Super Bowl. He is also the first (and to date the only) African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
This game came at the end of a season that was shortened by a players' strike. Each team only missed one regular season game due to the labor dispute, but three games were played mostly with replacement players until the dispute was settled.
.
Fourteen cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls (XXI
, XXII, XXIII
, and XXIV
). The bidding cities included: Anaheim
, Detroit
, Houston
, Jacksonville
, Miami
, Minneapolis
, New Orleans
, Pasadena
, Philadelphia
, San Francisco, San Diego
, Seattle
, Tampa, and Tempe
. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, hoping to win the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city. Jacksonville had no NFL team at the time, the Jacksonville Jaguars
would not start play until 1995.
After the balloting for XXI took over two hours to complete, XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII and XXIV was postponed. San Diego was awarded the game, marking the second time consecutive Super Bowls were played in the same state with Pasadena hosting Super Bowl XXI
. This has now happened three times in NFL history; Super Bowls II and III were both played at the Miami Orange Bowl
and Super Bowls XLIII and XLIV were played in Florida (at Raymond James Stadium
in Tampa and Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens).
was the first African-American quarterback ever to start in a NFL league championship game, let alone a Super Bowl .
Williams had taken a rather unconventional route to the Super Bowl. He began his career as the first round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in 1978. After five seasons, a contract dispute caused him to leave the team and sign with the Oklahoma Outlaws of the newly formed USFL. When that league folded a few years later, Williams found himself out of a job until Redskins coach Joe Gibbs
asked him to join the team to be the backup for quarterback Jay Schroeder
. Williams played just one game in 1986, and spent most of the 1987 season on the bench. But injuries and inconsistent play from Schroeder made Gibbs promote Williams to starting quarterback.
Williams had played extremely well in his five regular season games, passing for 1,156 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Redskins main receiving threat was wide receiver Gary Clark
, who caught 56 passes for 1,066 yards, an average of 19 yards per catch. Wide receivers Ricky Sanders
and Art Monk
were also deep threats, combining for 80 receptions and 1,130 yards. Running back George Rogers
was Washington's leading rusher with 613 yards. However, Rogers saw limited action in Super Bowl XXII due to injuries that would force him into early retirement. Rookie running back Timmy Smith
started in his place. Fullback Kelvin Bryant
also was a big contributor, rushing for 406 yards, and catching 43 passes for 490 yards during the 1987 season.
The Redskins also had an excellent defensive unit, led by defensive backs Barry Wilburn
who recorded nine interceptions for 135 return yards and one touchdown, Todd Bowles
, who intercepted four passes, and Darrell Green
. Their line was anchored by defensive ends Charles Mann, who led the team with nine and a half sacks and recovered a fumble, and Dexter Manley
, who recorded eight and a half sacks.
The Redskins finished the 1987 strike-shortened regular season as NFC East champions with an 11 –4 record and the third seed in the NFC playoffs.
had another excellent season, passing for 3,198 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was also the team's second leading rusher with 304 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Vance Johnson
and Ricky Nattiel
, and tight end Clarence Kay
, combined for 104 receptions and 1,754 yards. Running back Sammy Winder
was the leading rusher with 741 yards and six touchdowns, while fullback Gene Lang rushed for 304 yards and caught 17 receptions. The Broncos also possessed a solid defensive unit, led by outside linebacker Karl Mecklenburg
, and defensive back Mike Harden
with four interceptions.
The Broncos finished the strike-shortened 1987 season winning the AFC West
with a 10-4-1 record and the number one seed in the AFC playoffs.
Denver then won the AFC Championship Game in an exciting game over the AFC Central champion Cleveland Browns
38-33 for the second consecutive year. The Broncos seemed to be in control of the game during the first half, taking a 21-3 lead. But behind Bernie Kosar
, Cleveland rallied back and tied the score 31-31 in the fourth quarter. Elway responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Winder, taking the lead back with less than five minutes left in regulation. The Browns took the ball back and drove to the Denver 8-yard line, but the drive ended with a play that became known as The Fumble
resulting more bad luck in Cleveland professional sports lore: Denver defensive back Jeremiah Castille
stripped the football from Browns running back Ernest Byner and recovered the ensuing fumble as Byner was rushing in for the potential tying touchdown, securing the Broncos' win.
Meanwhile, the Redskins had narrow wins in the playoffs. First, they won at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears
, 21–17. The key play was a 52 yard punt return for a touchdown by Redskin defensive back Darrell Green
for the go ahead touchdown. The Bears' Kevin Butler kicked a field goal to close the deficit to 21-17, but the Bears could get no closer. Noteworthy was the Redskins trailed 14-0 early in the game.
The Redskins won a defensive battle against the surprising Minnesota Vikings
in the NFC Championship Game, 17-10. The Vikings barely made the playoffs with an 8-7 record during the strike-shortened regular season, but advanced to the NFC championship by winning on the road against the teams with the best records in the NFL, defeating the 12-3 New Orleans Saints
, 44-10, and the 13-2 San Francisco 49ers
, 36-24. The experienced Redskins put an end to the Vikings string of upsets, aided by Williams' go ahead touchdown pass to Clark with five minutes remaining in the game to lead 17-10. A strong goal line stand by the Redskin defense and was rewarded with Wade Wilson's incomplete pass in the end zone forced by Darrell Green
which was intended for Minnesota running back Darrin Nelson
on fourth down with 56 seconds left, sealed the victory for Washington.
and was selected to start for the AFC in the Pro Bowl
, while Williams had played just five regular season games in the 1987 season.
by ABC
with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels
and color commentator
s Frank Gifford
and Dan Dierdorf
. Keith Jackson
hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage for ABC. Jackson was joined by analysts Lynn Swann
and Mike Adamle
. Also helping with ABC's coverage were Jack Whitaker, Jim Hill
and Becky Dixon. This would be the first Super Bowl broadcast on ABC to have the broadcast team of Michaels, Gifford, and Dierdorf in the booth (as the 1987 season was the first year the trio was together, with Dierdorf moving to ABC from CBS; Gifford was the only holdover from ABC's Super Bowl XIX
telecast). The trio would man the booth for ABC's Monday Night Football
from 1987 to 1997 and call Super Bowls XXV
and XXIX
. It was simulcast in Canada
on CTV
and in the United Kingdom
on Channel 4
. It was also the first Super Bowl to be aired on Televisa
in Mexico
, airing on its Canal de las Estrellas
.
The pregame festivities featured a tribute to entertainer Bob Hope
, who was approaching the age of 85. Trumpeter Herb Alpert
performed "The Star-Spangled Banner
", while Pro Football Hall of Fame
wide receiver Don Hutson
participated in the coin toss
ceremony (the game happened to coincide with Hutson's 75th birthday). Alpert's performance was the last non-vocal performance of the National Anthem in a Super Bowl to date.
The halftime show, produced by Radio City Music Hall
, was titled "Something Grand" and featured performances by vocalist Chubby Checker
, The Rockettes
, and 88 grand pianos.
The Wonder Years
premiered on ABC immediately following the game. This was only the second successful series to debut following a Super Bowl up to that time (The A-Team
, which had premiered following Super Bowl XVII
, was the other).
threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide open receiver Ricky Nattiel
, giving Denver a quick 7–0 lead after just 1:57 had elapsed in the game. It was the earliest touchdown any team had ever scored in Super Bowl history. (This record would be broken by Jerry Rice
in Super Bowl XXIX
, and later by Devin Hester
in Super Bowl XLI
.) The Broncos quickly forced Washington to punt, and once again Elway displayed his superb scrambling skills. On the second play of Denver's ensuing possession, Elway completed a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Mark Jackson. Then he caught a 23-yard pass from halfback Steve Sewell
, becoming the first quarterback ever to catch a pass in the Super Bowl (Elway had scored a touchdown on that play during opening day the previous year
against the Raiders). The Redskins managed to halt Denver's drive on the 6-yard line, but kicker Rich Karlis
kicked a field goal to increase the Broncos lead to 10–0.
After yet another Redskin punt, Denver managed to drive to the Washington 30-yard line on their third possession with 2 runs by Gene Lang for a total of 24 yards and an 18-yard reception by Sewell. But this time they failed to score because Washington safety Alvin Walton
sacked Elway for an 18-yard loss on third down, pushing the Broncos out of field goal range. This play would turn out to be the turning point in the game.
Meanwhile, the Redskins could not generate any offensive momentum in the first quarter, with the Bronco defense forcing a punt on every drive. To make matters worse, late in the period quarterback Doug Williams
twisted his leg while being sacked and had to leave the game. Back-up quarterback Jay Schroeder was sacked by Denver's Karl Mecklenburg on his first snap, continuing the Redskins' offensive woes. By the time the period ended, the Broncos had more than twice as many total yards of offense (142) as the Redskins (64). With Denver leading 10–0, Washington seemed to face insurmountable odds; no team had ever overcome a 10 point deficit to win a Super Bowl.
However, the Redskin offense began to click upon Williams' return with 14:17 left in the second quarter, and much as they had in the second half of Super Bowl XXI
against the New York Giants
the Bronco defense seemed to collapse.
On the Redskins' first play of the second quarter, receiver Ricky Sanders
got behind defensive back Mark Haynes
(who tried to jam him at the line of scrimmage
), caught a pass from Williams, and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. After forcing the Broncos to punt on their next possession, Washington advanced to the Denver 27-yard line. Facing third down and 1, with Denver's defense expecting a running play, Washington decided to pass and receiver Gary Clark
made a diving catch in the end zone for a touchdown to give Washington a 14–10 lead.
After the ensuing kickoff Denver drove to the Washington 26-yard line, aided by running back Sammy Winder
's 27-yard reception and Elway's 21-yard run. After Elway threw an incomplete pass on third down, however, Karlis missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. On the first play of the Redskins' ensuing drive, Williams threw a 16-yard completion to Clark. Then on the next play, running back Timmy Smith
, a rookie in his first NFL start, took off for a 58-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–10.
The Redskins increased their lead to 28–10 on their next possession with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Sanders, making him the first player in Super Bowl history to catch 2 touchdowns in a single quarter. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Washington defensive back Barry Wilburn
intercepted a pass from Elway on the Redskin 21 yard-line, and once again the Redskins stormed down the field to score. First, Timmy Smith broke loose for a 43-yard run, then Williams completed a pair of passes to Sanders to reach the Denver 7-yard line. Two plays later, Williams threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Clint Didier
to make the score 35–10. On Denver's next drive, Elway completed 3 consecutive passes for 40 total yards to advance to the Redskins 36-yard line. However, Washington rookie defensive back Brian Davis intercepted Elway's next pass at the 21-yard line with 7 seconds left in the half.
In the second quarter alone, Williams had completed 9 of 11 passes for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns; Smith had rushed 5 times for 122 yards and a touchdown; and Sanders had caught 4 passes for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns.
By the end of the game, Elway was sacked five times and threw three interceptions, and Washington scored another touchdown on a 68-yard fourth quarter drive featuring a 25-yard run by Clark on a reverse and three runs by Smith for 43 yards, the last a 4-yard touchdown to bring the game to its final score of 42–10.
Smith finished the game with a Super Bowl record 204 rushing yards, and scored 2 touchdowns. His 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter tied Tom Matte
in Super Bowl III
for the third longest run in Super Bowl history, and Smith's 9.3 yard per carry average was the third highest. Sanders caught 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, and returned 3 kickoffs for 46 yards. His 193 receiving yards and his 235 total offensive yards were both Super Bowl records, and his 80-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter also tied a Super Bowl record. Clark caught 3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing once for 25 yards. Wilburn recorded 2 interceptions, while Walton had 2 sacks. Meanwhile, running back Gene Lang was the Broncos' leading rusher, with only 38 yards on 5 carries. Elway finished the game with 14 out of 38 pass completions for 257 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. He was also Denver's second leading rusher with 32 yards on 3 carries; this would be the only Super Bowl in which Elway did not score a rushing touchdown. Jackson was Denver's top receiver with 4 catches for 76 yards.
Following this game, Johnny Grier was promoted to referee, becoming the first African-American to lead an NFL officiating crew.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
to decide the National Football League
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...
(NFL) champion following the 1987 regular season
1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
. The National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
(14–4) won their second Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
by defeating the 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....
(AFC) champion Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(12–5–1), 42–10, scoring 42 unanswered points after being down 10–0.
The Redskins set the following Super Bowl records in the victory:
- Total offensive yards (602)
- Total offensive rushing yards (280)
- Most touchdowns scored in a Super Bowl game (6)
- Total offensive yards in a quarter (356)
- Most points in a quarter and in a half (35)
- Most touchdowns in a quarter (5)
- The largest deficit that a team has overcome to win a Super Bowl (10 points)
Both teams combined to set the following records:
- Total combined offensive yards (929)
Redskins quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Doug Williams
Doug Williams (football player)
Douglas Lee "Doug" Williams is a former American football quarterback and head football coach of the Grambling State University Tigers...
was named the Super Bowl MVP
Super Bowl MVP
The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
, completing 18 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns, with one interception. Williams became the first player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and throw four in a half. Williams was also the first African-American quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
to play in a Super Bowl. He is also the first (and to date the only) African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
This game came at the end of a season that was shortened by a players' strike. Each team only missed one regular season game due to the labor dispute, but three games were played mostly with replacement players until the dispute was settled.
Background
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXII to San Diego during their May 23–25, 1984 meetings. This was the first Super Bowl to be played at Jack Murphy Stadium (now currently known as Qualcomm Stadium) in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
Fourteen cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls (XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
, XXII, XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
, and XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 regular season...
). The bidding cities included: Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Angel Stadium of Anaheim is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. It is the home ballpark to Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League, and was previously home to the NFL's Los Angeles Rams...
, Detroit
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
, Houston
Reliant Astrodome
Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex...
, Jacksonville
Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, it was radically reconstructed in 1994 in preparation for the Jacksonville Jaguars inaugural season and became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now EverBank Field. It is most notable for hosting the Gator...
, Miami
Dolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
, Minneapolis
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
, Pasadena
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
, Philadelphia
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, San Francisco, San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
, Seattle
Kingdome
The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
, Tampa, and Tempe
Sun Devil Stadium
Sun Devil Stadium is an outdoor football stadium, located on the campus of Arizona State University, in Tempe, Arizona, United States. The stadium's current seating capacity is 71,706 and the playing surface is natural grass...
. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, hoping to win the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold weather city. Jacksonville had no NFL team at the time, the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
would not start play until 1995.
After the balloting for XXI took over two hours to complete, XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII and XXIV was postponed. San Diego was awarded the game, marking the second time consecutive Super Bowls were played in the same state with Pasadena hosting Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
. This has now happened three times in NFL history; Super Bowls II and III were both played at the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
and Super Bowls XLIII and XLIV were played in Florida (at Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium
Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
in Tampa and Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens).
Williams and the Redskins
The primary storyline surrounding Super Bowl XXII was that Washington's Doug WilliamsDoug Williams (football player)
Douglas Lee "Doug" Williams is a former American football quarterback and head football coach of the Grambling State University Tigers...
was the first African-American quarterback ever to start in a NFL league championship game, let alone a Super Bowl .
Williams had taken a rather unconventional route to the Super Bowl. He began his career as the first round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in 1978. After five seasons, a contract dispute caused him to leave the team and sign with the Oklahoma Outlaws of the newly formed USFL. When that league folded a few years later, Williams found himself out of a job until Redskins coach Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
asked him to join the team to be the backup for quarterback Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
. Williams played just one game in 1986, and spent most of the 1987 season on the bench. But injuries and inconsistent play from Schroeder made Gibbs promote Williams to starting quarterback.
Williams had played extremely well in his five regular season games, passing for 1,156 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Redskins main receiving threat was wide receiver Gary Clark
Gary Clark
Gary C. Clark is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins .-Early life:...
, who caught 56 passes for 1,066 yards, an average of 19 yards per catch. Wide receivers Ricky Sanders
Ricky Sanders
Ricky Wayne Sanders is a former American football wide receiver who played for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins and one for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994...
and Art Monk
Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
were also deep threats, combining for 80 receptions and 1,130 yards. Running back George Rogers
George Rogers (American football)
George Washington Rogers is a former American football player who achieved distinction in both the college and professional ranks as a running back...
was Washington's leading rusher with 613 yards. However, Rogers saw limited action in Super Bowl XXII due to injuries that would force him into early retirement. Rookie running back Timmy Smith
Timmy Smith
Timothy LaRay Smith is a former professional American football player who was a running back for the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted out of Texas Tech in the fifth round of the 1987 NFL Draft...
started in his place. Fullback Kelvin Bryant
Kelvin Bryant
Kelvin LeRoy Bryant is a former American football running back in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-College career:...
also was a big contributor, rushing for 406 yards, and catching 43 passes for 490 yards during the 1987 season.
The Redskins also had an excellent defensive unit, led by defensive backs Barry Wilburn
Barry Wilburn
Barry Todd Wilburn is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the eight round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 186-lb...
who recorded nine interceptions for 135 return yards and one touchdown, Todd Bowles
Todd Bowles
Todd Robert Bowles is a retired American football safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Washington Redskins. He started in Super Bowl XXII....
, who intercepted four passes, and Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
. Their line was anchored by defensive ends Charles Mann, who led the team with nine and a half sacks and recovered a fumble, and Dexter Manley
Dexter Manley
Dexter Keith Manley, nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense" is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Phoenix Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career from 1981 to 1991. He also played in the Canadian Football...
, who recorded eight and a half sacks.
The Redskins finished the 1987 strike-shortened regular season as NFC East champions with an 11 –4 record and the third seed in the NFC playoffs.
Elway and the Broncos
The Broncos advanced to their second consecutive Super Bowl, overall the third appearance in team history. Quarterback John ElwayJohn Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
had another excellent season, passing for 3,198 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was also the team's second leading rusher with 304 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Vance Johnson
Vance Johnson
Vance Edward Johnson , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 174 lb...
and Ricky Nattiel
Ricky Nattiel
Richard Rennard "Ricky" Nattiel is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
, and tight end Clarence Kay
Clarence Kay
Clarence Hubert Kay is a former professional American football player. A 6'2", 237-lb. tight end from the University of Georgia, Kay was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 7th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Kay played in 9 NFL seasons from 1984–1992, all with the Broncos.Between 1984 and 2006 Kay...
, combined for 104 receptions and 1,754 yards. Running back Sammy Winder
Sammy Winder
Sammy Winder is a former professional American football running back who spent his entire professional career playing for the Denver Broncos, from 1982 to 1990....
was the leading rusher with 741 yards and six touchdowns, while fullback Gene Lang rushed for 304 yards and caught 17 receptions. The Broncos also possessed a solid defensive unit, led by outside linebacker Karl Mecklenburg
Karl Mecklenburg
Karl Mecklenburg is a former American football player for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League.-National Football League:...
, and defensive back Mike Harden
Mike Harden
Michael Harden is a former professional American football player who played safety from 1980 to 1990 for the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Raiders. Harden was selected by the Broncos in the 5th round of the 1980 NFL Draft. During his 11-year NFL career, he intercepted 38 passes for 663 yards and...
with four interceptions.
The Broncos finished the strike-shortened 1987 season winning the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
with a 10-4-1 record and the number one seed in the AFC playoffs.
Playoffs
The Broncos routed the Houston Oilers in the Divsional round of the playoffs, 34–10, jumping to a 14–0 first quarter lead off of two quick Oilers turnovers, with Elway completing 14 of 25 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Vance Johnson recorded four catches for 105 yards, including a 55-yard reception to set up Elway's second touchdown pass. However, Johnson was injured during the game and had to miss the rest of the postseasonDenver then won the AFC Championship Game in an exciting game over the AFC Central champion Cleveland Browns
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...
38-33 for the second consecutive year. The Broncos seemed to be in control of the game during the first half, taking a 21-3 lead. But behind Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar
Bernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
, Cleveland rallied back and tied the score 31-31 in the fourth quarter. Elway responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Winder, taking the lead back with less than five minutes left in regulation. The Browns took the ball back and drove to the Denver 8-yard line, but the drive ended with a play that became known as 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...
resulting more bad luck in Cleveland professional sports lore: Denver defensive back Jeremiah Castille
Jeremiah Castille
Jeremiah Castille is an American professional football player. A 5'10", 175-lb. defensive back from the University of Alabama, Castille was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played in six seasons in the NFL from 1983–1988 for the Buccaneers and...
stripped the football from Browns running back Ernest Byner and recovered the ensuing fumble as Byner was rushing in for the potential tying touchdown, securing the Broncos' win.
Meanwhile, the Redskins had narrow wins in the playoffs. First, they won at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 21–17. The key play was a 52 yard punt return for a touchdown by Redskin defensive back Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
for the go ahead touchdown. The Bears' Kevin Butler kicked a field goal to close the deficit to 21-17, but the Bears could get no closer. Noteworthy was the Redskins trailed 14-0 early in the game.
The Redskins won a defensive battle against the surprising Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in the NFC Championship Game, 17-10. The Vikings barely made the playoffs with an 8-7 record during the strike-shortened regular season, but advanced to the NFC championship by winning on the road against the teams with the best records in the NFL, defeating the 12-3 New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, 44-10, and the 13-2 San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, 36-24. The experienced Redskins put an end to the Vikings string of upsets, aided by Williams' go ahead touchdown pass to Clark with five minutes remaining in the game to lead 17-10. A strong goal line stand by the Redskin defense and was rewarded with Wade Wilson's incomplete pass in the end zone forced by Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
which was intended for Minnesota running back Darrin Nelson
Darrin Nelson
Darren Milo Nelson is a former professional American football player in the National Football League....
on fourth down with 56 seconds left, sealed the victory for Washington.
Super Bowl pregame news
Coming into Super Bowl XXII, the Broncos were favored to win (-3 as noted on the NFL Today show by Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder) because most experts thought both teams were equal in terms of talent with Elway presumed to be the superior quarterback to Williams. Elway had won the NFL Most Valuable Player AwardNFL Most Valuable Player Award
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
and was selected to start for the AFC in the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
, while Williams had played just five regular season games in the 1987 season.
Television and entertainment
The game was broadcast in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels
Al Michaels
Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...
and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
s Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
and Dan Dierdorf
Dan Dierdorf
Daniel Lee "Dan" Dierdorf is a former American football player and current television sportscaster. He played 13 NFL seasons and has worked for ABC's Monday Night Football and CBS as a color commentator since retiring from football....
. Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage for ABC. Jackson was joined by analysts Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann
-Collegiate:Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated and national championship season. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He...
and Mike Adamle
Mike Adamle
Michael David "Mike" Adamle is a sports personality and former National Football League player. He is best known as the co-host of American Gladiators series for seven years....
. Also helping with ABC's coverage were Jack Whitaker, Jim Hill
Jim Hill (sportscaster)
James Webster "Jim" Hill is a retired American football defensive back who played in the National Football League. He is now a Los Angeles-based sportscaster and currently lead sports anchor and sports director at KCBS-TV...
and Becky Dixon. This would be the first Super Bowl broadcast on ABC to have the broadcast team of Michaels, Gifford, and Dierdorf in the booth (as the 1987 season was the first year the trio was together, with Dierdorf moving to ABC from CBS; Gifford was the only holdover from ABC's Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
telecast). The trio would man the booth for ABC's Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
from 1987 to 1997 and call Super Bowls XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
and XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
. It was simulcast in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. It was also the first Super Bowl to be aired on Televisa
Televisa
Televisa is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate, the largest mass media company in Latin America and in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a major international entertainment business, with much of its programming airing in the United States on Univision, with which it has an exclusive contract...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, airing on its Canal de las Estrellas
Canal de las Estrellas
Canal de las Estrellas is one of the cornerstone networks of Televisa, with affiliate stations all over Mexico, flagshipped at XEW-TV in Mexico City. Many of the programs of Canal de las Estrellas are seen in the United States on Univision, Telefutura, and Galavisión...
.
The pregame festivities featured a tribute to entertainer Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, who was approaching the age of 85. Trumpeter Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
performed "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
", while Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
wide receiver Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
participated in the coin toss
Coin flipping
Coin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
ceremony (the game happened to coincide with Hutson's 75th birthday). Alpert's performance was the last non-vocal performance of the National Anthem in a Super Bowl to date.
The halftime show, produced by Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
, was titled "Something Grand" and featured performances by vocalist Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
, The Rockettes
The Rockettes
The Rockettes are a precision dance company performing out of the Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City. During the Christmas season, the Rockettes have performed five shows a day, seven days a week, for 77 years...
, and 88 grand pianos.
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
premiered on ABC immediately following the game. This was only the second successful series to debut following a Super Bowl up to that time (The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
, which had premiered following Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
, was the other).
Game summary
The game started out very well for Denver. After forcing Washington to go 3 and out, the Broncos' scored on their first play from scrimmage, when quarterback John ElwayJohn Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide open receiver Ricky Nattiel
Ricky Nattiel
Richard Rennard "Ricky" Nattiel is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
, giving Denver a quick 7–0 lead after just 1:57 had elapsed in the game. It was the earliest touchdown any team had ever scored in Super Bowl history. (This record would be broken by Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
, and later by Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
in Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI
Super Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
.) The Broncos quickly forced Washington to punt, and once again Elway displayed his superb scrambling skills. On the second play of Denver's ensuing possession, Elway completed a 32-yard pass to wide receiver Mark Jackson. Then he caught a 23-yard pass from halfback Steve Sewell
Steve Sewell
Steven Edward Sewell , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 1st round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 210-lb. running back from the University of Oklahoma, Sewell played his entire NFL career for the Broncos from 1985 to 1991...
, becoming the first quarterback ever to catch a pass in the Super Bowl (Elway had scored a touchdown on that play during opening day the previous year
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
against the Raiders). The Redskins managed to halt Denver's drive on the 6-yard line, but kicker Rich Karlis
Rich Karlis
Richard John Karlis is a former American Football placekicker who played nine seasons for the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Detroit Lions in the National Football League from 1982 to 1990...
kicked a field goal to increase the Broncos lead to 10–0.
After yet another Redskin punt, Denver managed to drive to the Washington 30-yard line on their third possession with 2 runs by Gene Lang for a total of 24 yards and an 18-yard reception by Sewell. But this time they failed to score because Washington safety Alvin Walton
Alvin Walton
Alvin Earl Walton is a former American football safety who was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 180 safety from the University of Kansas, Walton played in six NFL seasons from 1986-1991. He started in Super Bowl XXII for the Redskins...
sacked Elway for an 18-yard loss on third down, pushing the Broncos out of field goal range. This play would turn out to be the turning point in the game.
Meanwhile, the Redskins could not generate any offensive momentum in the first quarter, with the Bronco defense forcing a punt on every drive. To make matters worse, late in the period quarterback Doug Williams
Doug Williams (football player)
Douglas Lee "Doug" Williams is a former American football quarterback and head football coach of the Grambling State University Tigers...
twisted his leg while being sacked and had to leave the game. Back-up quarterback Jay Schroeder was sacked by Denver's Karl Mecklenburg on his first snap, continuing the Redskins' offensive woes. By the time the period ended, the Broncos had more than twice as many total yards of offense (142) as the Redskins (64). With Denver leading 10–0, Washington seemed to face insurmountable odds; no team had ever overcome a 10 point deficit to win a Super Bowl.
However, the Redskin offense began to click upon Williams' return with 14:17 left in the second quarter, and much as they had in the second half of Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
the Bronco defense seemed to collapse.
On the Redskins' first play of the second quarter, receiver Ricky Sanders
Ricky Sanders
Ricky Wayne Sanders is a former American football wide receiver who played for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins and one for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994...
got behind defensive back Mark Haynes
Mark Haynes
Mark Haynes is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played in three Pro Bowls as a member of the New York Giants, and in three Super Bowls for the Denver Broncos....
(who tried to jam him at the line of scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
), caught a pass from Williams, and took it 80 yards for a touchdown. After forcing the Broncos to punt on their next possession, Washington advanced to the Denver 27-yard line. Facing third down and 1, with Denver's defense expecting a running play, Washington decided to pass and receiver Gary Clark
Gary Clark
Gary C. Clark is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins .-Early life:...
made a diving catch in the end zone for a touchdown to give Washington a 14–10 lead.
After the ensuing kickoff Denver drove to the Washington 26-yard line, aided by running back Sammy Winder
Sammy Winder
Sammy Winder is a former professional American football running back who spent his entire professional career playing for the Denver Broncos, from 1982 to 1990....
's 27-yard reception and Elway's 21-yard run. After Elway threw an incomplete pass on third down, however, Karlis missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. On the first play of the Redskins' ensuing drive, Williams threw a 16-yard completion to Clark. Then on the next play, running back Timmy Smith
Timmy Smith
Timothy LaRay Smith is a former professional American football player who was a running back for the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted out of Texas Tech in the fifth round of the 1987 NFL Draft...
, a rookie in his first NFL start, took off for a 58-yard touchdown run, making the score 21–10.
The Redskins increased their lead to 28–10 on their next possession with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Sanders, making him the first player in Super Bowl history to catch 2 touchdowns in a single quarter. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Washington defensive back Barry Wilburn
Barry Wilburn
Barry Todd Wilburn is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the eight round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 186-lb...
intercepted a pass from Elway on the Redskin 21 yard-line, and once again the Redskins stormed down the field to score. First, Timmy Smith broke loose for a 43-yard run, then Williams completed a pair of passes to Sanders to reach the Denver 7-yard line. Two plays later, Williams threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Clint Didier
Clint Didier
Clint Bradley Didier is a former professional American football player. He was a tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1982 to 1987 and for the Green Bay Packers from 1988 to 1989...
to make the score 35–10. On Denver's next drive, Elway completed 3 consecutive passes for 40 total yards to advance to the Redskins 36-yard line. However, Washington rookie defensive back Brian Davis intercepted Elway's next pass at the 21-yard line with 7 seconds left in the half.
In the second quarter alone, Williams had completed 9 of 11 passes for 228 yards and 4 touchdowns; Smith had rushed 5 times for 122 yards and a touchdown; and Sanders had caught 4 passes for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns.
By the end of the game, Elway was sacked five times and threw three interceptions, and Washington scored another touchdown on a 68-yard fourth quarter drive featuring a 25-yard run by Clark on a reverse and three runs by Smith for 43 yards, the last a 4-yard touchdown to bring the game to its final score of 42–10.
Smith finished the game with a Super Bowl record 204 rushing yards, and scored 2 touchdowns. His 58-yard touchdown run in the second quarter tied Tom Matte
Tom Matte
Thomas Roland Matte was an American football player who played quarterback in college and primarily running back in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s and earned a Super Bowl Ring. He attended Shaw High School in East Cleveland and is an Eagle Scout...
in Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl III was the third AFL-NFL Championship Game in professional American football, but the first to officially bear the name "Super Bowl". This game is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history...
for the third longest run in Super Bowl history, and Smith's 9.3 yard per carry average was the third highest. Sanders caught 9 passes for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, and returned 3 kickoffs for 46 yards. His 193 receiving yards and his 235 total offensive yards were both Super Bowl records, and his 80-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter also tied a Super Bowl record. Clark caught 3 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing once for 25 yards. Wilburn recorded 2 interceptions, while Walton had 2 sacks. Meanwhile, running back Gene Lang was the Broncos' leading rusher, with only 38 yards on 5 carries. Elway finished the game with 14 out of 38 pass completions for 257 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions. He was also Denver's second leading rusher with 32 yards on 3 carries; this would be the only Super Bowl in which Elway did not score a rushing touchdown. Jackson was Denver's top receiver with 4 catches for 76 yards.
Box score
Starting lineups
| Washington | Position | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||
| Ricky Sanders Ricky Sanders Ricky Wayne Sanders is a former American football wide receiver who played for eight seasons with the Washington Redskins and one for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League from 1986 to 1994... |
WR | Ricky Nattiel Ricky Nattiel Richard Rennard "Ricky" Nattiel is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons during the 1980s and 1990s... |
| Joe Jacoby Joe Jacoby Joseph Erwin Jacoby is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins... |
LT | Dave Studdard Dave Studdard David Studdard is a former tackle in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos Dave has opened a sports restaurant in Centennial, CO, Studdley's . His son Kasey Studdard followed his father's footsteps to Texas. Kasey currently plays for Houston Texans-References:... |
| Raleigh McKenzie Raleigh McKenzie Raleigh McKenzie is a former American football player in the National Football League who played guard for the Washington Redskins from 1985 to 1994. McKenzie was the epitome of the "Hogs" depth amidst the Redskins famed 1980s and early 1990s offensive line... |
LG | Keith Bishop |
| Jeff Bostic Jeff Bostic Jeffrey Lynn Bostic is a former American football offensive lineman who played for the Washington Redskins in the National Football League.-College career:... |
C | Mike Freeman Mike Freeman (American football) Michael Joseph Freeman is a former professional American football player who played guard for four seasons for the Denver Broncos and the Los Angeles Raiders.... |
| R.C. Thielemann | RG | Stefan Humphries Stefan Humphries Stefan Govan Humphries, MD is a former American football offensive lineman in the NFL. He played five seasons for the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. He attended the University of Michigan. Humphries was a part of the 1985 Bears that won Super Bowl XX. He was also a member of the "Shuffling... |
| Mark May Mark May Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:... |
RT | Ken Lanier Ken Lanier Kenneth Lanier is a former tackle in the National Football League who played 14 seasons, 13 of those for the Denver Broncos.... |
| Don Warren Don Warren Donald James Warren is a former American football tight end, who spent his entire 14 year career playing for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League... |
TE | Clarence Kay Clarence Kay Clarence Hubert Kay is a former professional American football player. A 6'2", 237-lb. tight end from the University of Georgia, Kay was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 7th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Kay played in 9 NFL seasons from 1984–1992, all with the Broncos.Between 1984 and 2006 Kay... |
| Gary Clark Gary Clark Gary C. Clark is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins .-Early life:... |
WR | Mark Jackson |
| Doug Williams | QB | John Elway John Elway John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos... |
| Clint Didier Clint Didier Clint Bradley Didier is a former professional American football player. He was a tight end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1982 to 1987 and for the Green Bay Packers from 1988 to 1989... |
TE-FB | Gene Lang |
| Timmy Smith Timmy Smith Timothy LaRay Smith is a former professional American football player who was a running back for the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted out of Texas Tech in the fifth round of the 1987 NFL Draft... |
RB | Sammy Winder Sammy Winder Sammy Winder is a former professional American football running back who spent his entire professional career playing for the Denver Broncos, from 1982 to 1990.... |
| DEFENSE | ||
| Charles Mann | LE | Andre Townsend Andre Townsend Andre Townsend is a former defensive end who played 7 seasons for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXII.... |
| Dave Butz Dave Butz David Butz is a former American Football defensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the St... |
LDT-NT | Greg Kragen Greg Kragen Gregory John Kragen is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League including three Super Bowls and five championship games. He was selected for the Pro Bowl in 1989 and made the All-Madden team twice... |
| Darryl Grant Darryl Grant Darryl Baris Grant is a former professional American football player who played defensive tackle for eleven seasons for the Washington Redskins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He played college football at Rice University.Grant was drafted by the Redskins in the ninth... |
RDT-RE | Rulon Jones Rulon Jones Rulon Jones is a retired American football defensive lineman.Jones was drafted out of the Utah State University in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He played his entire career in Denver. During his career, Jones played in 129 games and recorded 52.5 official quarterback sacks... |
| Dexter Manley Dexter Manley Dexter Keith Manley, nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense" is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Phoenix Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career from 1981 to 1991. He also played in the Canadian Football... |
RE-LOLB | Simon Fletcher |
| Mel Kaufman Mel Kaufman Melvin Kaufman was an American football linebacker in the National Football League who played his entire eight-year career with the Washington Redskins... |
LLB-LILB | Karl Mecklenburg Karl Mecklenburg Karl Mecklenburg is a former American football player for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League.-National Football League:... |
| Neal Olkewicz Neal Olkewicz Neal T. Olkewicz is a former American football linebacker who played his entire eleven year career with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1989 in the National Football League.... |
MLB-RILB | Ricky Hunley Ricky Hunley Ricky Hunley is an American football coach and former linebacker. He is currently the assistant linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League.-College career:... |
| Monte Coleman Monte Coleman Monte Leon Coleman is a former American football linebacker who played for sixteen seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1994... |
ROLB | Jim Ryan |
| Darrell Green Darrell Green Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football... |
LCB | Mark Haynes Mark Haynes Mark Haynes is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played in three Pro Bowls as a member of the New York Giants, and in three Super Bowls for the Denver Broncos.... |
| Barry Wilburn Barry Wilburn Barry Todd Wilburn is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the eight round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 186-lb... |
RCB | Steve Wilson Steve Wilson (defensive back) Steven Anthony Wilson is a former American football defensive back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos from 1979 to 1988. Wilson started for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. He played college football at Howard University in Washington, DC... |
| Alvin Walton Alvin Walton Alvin Earl Walton is a former American football safety who was selected by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 1986 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 180 safety from the University of Kansas, Walton played in six NFL seasons from 1986-1991. He started in Super Bowl XXII for the Redskins... |
SS | Dennis Smith |
| Todd Bowles Todd Bowles Todd Robert Bowles is a retired American football safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Washington Redskins. He started in Super Bowl XXII.... |
FS | Tony Lilly Tony Lilly Robert Anthony "Tony" Lilly is a former American college and professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League for four seasons during the 1980s... |
Officials
- Referee: Bob McElweeBob McElweeRobert T. "Bob" McElwee is a former American football official, who served for 41 years, with 27 of those years in the National Football League from 1976 to 2003...
#95 - Umpire: Al ConwayAl ConwayAl Conway was an American Professional Football on-field official for 28 seasons. He was in the American Football League in its last year, 1969, and in the NFL fom 1970 to 1996...
#27 - Head Linesman: Dale HamerDale HamerDale Hamer was an American football official in the National Football League from 1978 to 2001, with a break taken for health reasons during the 1995 season. During his 23 seasons in the NFL, Hamer was assigned to officiate in two Super Bowls, as a head linesman in Super Bowl XVII and in Super...
#104 - Line Judge: Jack Fette #39
- Field Judge: Johnny GrierJohnny GrierJohnny Grier was an American football official for 23 years in the National Football League from 1981 to 2004. He began in the NFL as a field judge before becoming the first African-American referee in the history of the NFL with the start of the 1988 NFL season...
#23 - Side Judge: Don Wedge #28
- Back Judge: Al JuryAl JuryAl Jury is a former American football official in the National Football League from 1978 to 2004. He started as a back judge, then switched to field judge after the league swapped position names in 1998. Over the course of his NFL career, Jury was selected to officiate in a record-tying five...
#106 - Alternate: Jerry MarkbreitJerry MarkbreitJerry Markbreit is a former American football referee in the National Football League for 23 seasons and became one of the most recognizable referees in the game. Markbreit officiated football games for 43 seasons. From 1965 to 1975, Markbreit officiated college football games in the Big Ten...
#9
Following this game, Johnny Grier was promoted to referee, becoming the first African-American to lead an NFL officiating crew.