Snow Plow Game

Special teams are the unsung heroes of football, often deciding the fate of games. From the booming kickoff to the clutch punt return, these plays showcase speed, strategy, and sheer grit. Hidden within the chaos are the intricacies of a perfectly executed fake field goal or a game-changing blocked punt. Though sometimes overlooked, these critical moments represent a vital part of gridiron history.

In the high-stakes world of professional football, special teams plays can often be the difference between victory and defeat.  These crucial moments, encompassing everything from the explosive energy of a kickoff and kickoff return to the strategic maneuvers of a punt and punt return, hinge on split-second decisions and flawless execution.  A perfectly executed long snap, a well-timed extra block, or even a daring fake punt can instantly shift the momentum of a game.  From the potential for a game-changing return touch and the accumulation of hard-earned return yards to the sheer drama of a field block or a successful fake field goal attempt, special teams are where heroes are made, and legends are born.  One such legendary moment unfolded on a snowy afternoon in NFL history, a testament to the grit and determination of a kicker and the unlikely assistance he received in the most unexpected of places.  This is the story of how a groundskeeper, armed with only a shovel, helped clear the path to destiny.

A Controversial act that may have given a win

December 12, 1982 in the Boston, Mass. area was cold and icy. This didn’t discourage a Miami Dolphins team used to much warmer temperatures to put up a fight against their home rivals the New England Patriots at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro that afternoon.

The night before the contest heavy rains soaked the artificial turf of the stadium and as morning came so did freezing temperatures that established a layer of ice upon the fake grass carpet. The situation didn’t get better for game time either as a snow storm hit the area putting a white powder on top of ice and making the normally green plain a field of white.

The NFL officiating crew used a special emergency rule during time outs to allow the major yard lines of the playing field to be cleared by stadium equipment, including a large rotating brush mounted to a lawn tractor to partly brush and partly plow the opaque white stuff away to expose the white lines on the green field. The weather steadily got worse during the game and was so impactful that both offenses were nullified as the game was still a scoreless time in the middle of the fourth quarter. The Patriots had an earlier kick held on top of the snow and ice go wide right after place kicker John Smith slipped pushing the ball in a low trajectory into the helmet of a teammate causing the projectile to gain some altitude but missing the mark.Somehow the Patriots offense managed to move the ball down to somewhere near the Dolphins twenty where the drive stalled with 4:45 remaining in the game.

The Patriots Coach at the time was Ron Meyer and he motioned to the tractor driver to quickly drive out and clear a path for the kick holder, Matt Cavanaugh to place the ball for a fourth down field goal attempt by the home team. Confusion set in as the driver started out on the field in between plays driving at first right along the twenty yard line then suddenly veering off into the Pat’s backfield clearing a 4 foot swoth of real estate in its wake. Soon after making it to the opposite sideline the ball was snapped and New England kicker John Smith had great footing on the green turf exposed and booted the ball right between the uprights to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead in the game.

Mark Henderson was the driver of the small snow removal machine and he said he only went out because of the urging of the Patriot Head Coach who apparently got the idea after starting QB Steve Grogran whispered in his ear. Henderson was a convicted burglar who was out on a work release pass and may have been part of what Dolphin fans think was even a bigger crime.

The late Don Shula objected to the fairness of the play and later Pete Rozelle agreed with the lack of fairness but told Miami head man that as Commissioner he had not reversed a play ever before and was not going to start now.

The Patriots went on to win the game by three as the home team's defense picked off a pass on the proceeding Dolphin drive to, yes, ICE the game.

Fair play or not this play is still remembered as one of the great Game Changers in football history. The NFL calls this the 94th Greatest Game in the forst 100 seasons of the League.

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: NFL.com, Newspapers.com, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com.

Banner photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons of Snow removal by undergrad students from Forbes Field prior to W. & J. Game circa 1914.

The game described above had a crazy outcome. NFL history is filled with the rare and unexpected including some that occurred int he biggest games of the season. Check out this post where we look at some fromt he Championship in the Super Bowl Comebacks.