The Miracle in Miami, also known as the Miami Miracle, was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
play that took place at the end of a
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
regular season game on December 9,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, between the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
and the
New England Patriots. It was the first walk-off game-winning touchdown in
NFL history to involve multiple lateral passes, and the first multi-lateral touchdown since the
River City Relay in December
2003. After the game, the play was known by several names, most commonly the "Miami Miracle" and the "Miracle in Miami". The play went on to win the
Bridgestone Performance Play of the Year Award at the
8th Annual NFL Honors
The 2019 NFL Honors was an awards presentation by the National Football League that honored its best players from the 2018 NFL season. It was held on February 2, 2019 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia and pre–recorded for same–day broadc ...
Award Show on February 2.
History
Desperation lateral attempts have been used before in American football. In the history of the NFL, only once in the 21st century has a team successfully converted a lateral pass for a touchdown at the end of a game. It occurred in the
River City Relay on December 21, 2003, where the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
successfully completed three lateral passes culminating in a 75-yard touchdown by
Jerome Pathon
Jerome Pathon (born December 16, 1975) is a South African-born Canadian American football coach and former wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He later was a position coach for both the University of So ...
against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. However, kicker
John Carney missed the extra point, resulting in a 20–19 loss by the Saints.
Several years after the New Orleans game, Miami almost lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers via lateral passes. Referees correctly ruled Antonio Brown, the last Steeler to touch the ball on that play, out of bounds at the 13-yard line to end that game in a Miami victory.
Lead-up to the play
Entering the game, the Patriots were leading the
AFC East with a record of 9–3, while the Dolphins had a record of 6–6. A Patriots win would clinch them their 10th consecutive
AFC East title. After the Patriots struck first with a touchdown, there would be a total of eight lead changes, but Patriots kicker
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
would miss not only the extra point on the aforementioned first touchdown, but a field goal attempt later on. Leading 30–28 after an unsuccessful attempt to score a touchdown in the waning seconds, he would score another field goal to put them up 33–28 with 16 seconds left to play.
The play
Trailing by five points with seven seconds to go, the Dolphins had the ball at their own 31-yard line. Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
threw a pass over the middle that was caught by wide receiver
Kenny Stills
Kenneth Lee Stills Jr. (born April 22, 1992) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
Early years
...
, who lateraled the ball to the right side of the field that was caught by
DeVante Parker at midfield. Parker then tossed the ball to running back
Kenyan Drake, who ran the ball 52 yards for a touchdown to win the game 34–33. The Dolphins declined to kick the extra point, per the rule change for the 2018 season following the
Minneapolis Miracle
The Minneapolis Miracle (also known as the Minnesota Miracle) was the National Football Conference (NFC) divisional playoff game played between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on ...
.
One of the keys to the play was the Dolphins
left guard Ted Larsen
Theodore Larsen (born June 13, 1987) is an American football guard who is a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at NC State.
Post-football Career
After a ...
diligently following the play 40 yards downfield and springing a vicious block on the Patriots'
Patrick Chung
Patrick Christopher Chung (born August 19, 1987) is a Jamaican-American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Oregon and wa ...
, who otherwise might have tackled Drake.
Game box score
Broadcaster calls
* Commentators
Ian Eagle
Ian Eagle ( ; born February 9, 1969) is an American sports announcer. He calls NBA, NFL, and college basketball games on CBS, TNT, and TBS, as well as Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network and French Open tennis for Tennis Channel. Other ...
and
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts (born June 10, 1951) is an American former football quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) throughout his 15-season career (1973-87). After a relatively undistinguished fi ...
called the game for
CBS's NFL coverage. Eagle and Fouts also called the near miracle in Pittsburgh against Miami five years earlier, when the Steelers tried a similar play and appeared to have pulled it off, except for Antonio Brown stepping out of bounds at the thirteen.
Eagle's call of the play:
Seven seconds left. Tannehill will throw it... and this will end it after the shovel. Or will it? Miami running around. Circling. Oh look out! Gronkowski! Didn't have the angle! Touchdown! Oh ho Kenyan Drake! A miracle! Miraculous in Miami! Stills... to Parker, to Drake! A lateral... heard 'round the world!
* Dolphins radio announcers
Jimmy Cefalo
James Carmen Cefalo (born October 6, 1956) is an American journalist, news broadcaster and sports broadcaster, radio talk show host, Voice of the Miami Dolphins, businessman, wine enthusiast and former professional American football wide receiver ...
,
Bob Griese, and
Joe Rose:
Tannehill. Last shot. Back to throw. They throw it down, they try to pitch it, and they do. To Parker, Parker pitches it, and it's Drake. DRAKE! 30, 20, GRONKOWSKI'S GONNA TACKLE! OH! THAT'S IT! HE GOES INTO THE END ZONE! TOUCHDOWN! UNBELIEVABLE! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE! I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT I JUST SAW! There are no flags and the game is over!
* Patriots radio announcers
Bob Socci and
Scott Zolak:
Tannehill throws down the middle caught by Stills, laterals, back to Butler. ''(sic)'' Or rather Parker, who flips it to Drake, he runs across the 40 of New England, angling inside to the 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, He's gonna win the footrace to the end zone! The Dolphins are going to win it! On the lateral! Once then twice! And Drake takes it in! And the Patriots stand stunned in disbelief!
Reactions
Patriots head coach
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick (; born April 16, 1952) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Additionally, he exercises extensive authority over the Patri ...
was criticized after the game for substituting out safety
Devin McCourty
Devin McCourty (born August 13, 1987) is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2010 NFL ...
for tight end
Rob Gronkowski
Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...
, who missed the final tackle leading to Drake's touchdown. Retired Patriots players
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison (born December 15, 1972) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons with the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots. He was selected in the fifth round of th ...
and
Tedy Bruschi
Tedy Lacap Bruschi (; born June 9, 1973) is a former professional American football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, who currently serves as the senior advisor to the head coach at University o ...
, as well as McCourty and Patriots safety
Duron Harmon, argued that since the Dolphins were too far away from the end zone to try a conventional
Hail Mary pass play, Gronkowski, who has historically been used to defend against long passes in late-game situations, should not have been substituted in for a defensive back on the play.
The press conference following this game is where the well-known "Nobody died" comment from Belichick hails from. Following the game he replied to questioning from reporters by saying, "Look it's the National Football League. Nobody died. Gotta big game against Pittsburgh this week."
Aftermath
The Dolphins improved to 7–6 with the victory and remained in contention for a postseason berth and an
AFC East title. For the Patriots, the loss prevented them from clinching the AFC East, although they maintained their division lead.
The play proved inconsequential to the season as the Dolphins lost all of their remaining games to finish 7–9 and miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. The Patriots clinched the division for a 10th consecutive year with a 11–5 record and although the defeat prevented them from obtaining the top seed in the
AFC, their season ultimately concluded with a victory in
Super Bowl LIII. After the Super Bowl, Patriots quarterback
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
said he didn't consider the Miami game a loss.
The game was also the final victory with the Dolphins for head coach
Adam Gase
Adam Joseph Gase (born March 29, 1978) is a former American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2013 to 2014, whose offense set the NFL record for ...
, who was fired after the season, and quarterback
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
, who was traded to the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
. Gase was succeeded by Patriots assistant coach
Brian Flores
Brian Francisco Flores (born February 24, 1981) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career with the New England Patriots, where he serve ...
, the team's defensive playcaller in 2018. In their final game of following season, Flores led the Dolphins to an upset victory over New England, which dropped the Patriots to the conference's third seed and forced them to play the Titans in the wild card round. Tannehill went on to help Tennessee defeat the Patriots in Brady's final game with the team.
Four years later on December 18, 2022, the Patriots attempted a
lateral pass play of their own against the
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West div ...
with the game tied, but the attempt notably failed and resulted in the opposite intended effect: a walk-off game-winning touchdown for the Raiders, as Las Vegas defensive end
Chandler Jones picked off New England's second lateral pass attempt and ran it in for the score. The Patriots were later criticized for the play, with some analysts such as Charles Curtis of ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
Sports'' comparing it to the
Butt Fumble,
Colts Catastrophe, and other inept plays in NFL history.
Officials
*Referee:
Pete Morelli (#135)
*Umpire: Steve Woods (#54)
*Down Judge: Steve Stelljes (#22)
*Line Judge: Jeff Seeman (#45)
*Back Judge: Keith Ferguson (#61)
*Side Judge: Boris Cheek (#41)
*Field Judge: Anthony Jeffries (#36)
*Replay Official: Brian Matoren
See also
*
Dolphins–Patriots rivalry
*
Hook and lateral
The hook and lateral is a trick play in American, Canadian football and indoor American football, often colloquially called the hook and ladder play.
Although the latter term is often used generically, a “hook and ladder” route specifical ...
*
Lunatic Lateral
References
External links
* (via the NFL's YouTube channel)
{{NFL on CBS
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
2018 National Football League season
National Football League games
American football incidents
2018 in sports in Florida
December 2018 sports events in the United States
American football in Florida
Sports competitions in Miami Gardens, Florida
Tom Brady