177-806: Super Bowl XII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1977 season . The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 27–10 to win their second Super Bowl. The game was played on January 15, 1978, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans . This
354-508: A NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team, with fellow former Cowboy and hall-of-famer Troy Aikman , which began racing for the 2006 season . In 2009, Staubach was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The award was created to honor coach Lombardi 's legacy, and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the "spirit" of the coach. On December 27, 2011, Staubach wrote
531-422: A gridiron in appearance. Other major rule changes included a reduction of the field size to 110 by 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (100.6 m × 48.8 m) and the adoption of a scoring system that awarded four points for a touchdown, two for a safety and a goal following a touchdown , and five for a goal from the field . Additionally, tackling below the waist was legalized, and a static line of scrimmage
708-403: A halftime period, and the first and third quarters are followed by a short break. Before the game starts, the referee and each team's captain meet at midfield for a coin toss . The visiting team can call either "heads" or "tails"; the winner of the toss chooses whether to receive or kick off the ball or which goal they wish to defend. They can defer their choice until the second half. Unless
885-502: A .750 winning percentage. Staubach recorded the highest passer rating in the NFL in four seasons (1971, 1973, 1978, 1979) and led the league with 23 touchdown passes in 1973. He was an All-NFC choice five times and selected to play in six Pro Bowls (1971, 1975–1979). Staubach retired from football in March 1980 with the highest career passer rating in NFL history at the time, 83.4, and was voted into
1062-401: A 10-yard-long chain between them, are used to measure for a first down. The chain crew stays on the sidelines during the game, but if requested by the officials they will briefly bring the chains on to the field to measure. A typical chain crew will have at least three people—two members of the chain crew will hold either of the two sticks, while a third will hold the down marker. The down marker,
1239-475: A 13-yard reception by tight end Billy Joe DuPree and ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Dorsett, converting on a 4th-and-inches attempt and giving Dallas a 7–0 lead. On the Broncos' next possession, Schultz returned the kick 38 yards to the Denver 40, again giving them excellent field position. Two plays later, however, Morton was intercepted for a second time after his pass was tipped by linebacker Bob Breunig into
1416-413: A 16-yard pass to wide receiver Haven Moses , but was sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down by defensive tackle Randy White , which pushed the Broncos out of field goal range. On the ensuing Denver punt, Cowboys wide receiver Tony Hill muffed the ball at his own 1-yard line. In the scramble to recover, Broncos wide receiver John Schultz placed both of his hands on the ball and appeared to recover it for
1593-513: A 27–10 lead. Newhouse became the first running back in Super Bowl history to throw a touchdown pass. Most notable about the trick play was that Denver's defense was not fooled by it, as Richards was properly covered by Foley. Incidentally, Newhouse had practiced with the play for weeks, but had not managed to complete the pass once in practice (which unlike the play in the game was done with Newhouse rolling to his right). Loaded up with stickum (legal at
1770-486: A 35–14 road victory in its annual rivalry with Notre Dame . Navy did not beat Notre Dame again until 2007 , 43 years later. During three seasons at Navy, Staubach completed 292 of 463 passes with 18 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, while gaining a school-record 4,253 yards of total offense. Staubach is the last player from a military academy to win the Heisman Trophy. As a senior in 1964 , he injured his left heel in
1947-440: A 43-yard field goal attempt wide left, keeping the score 13–0. On their following drive, the Broncos committed their fifth turnover as wide receiver Jack Dolbin fumbled a 13-yard reception, while being tackled by safety Charlie Waters , with Hughes returning the ball 18 yards to the Denver 27-yard line. However, Dallas failed to score again as Herrera missed another field goal attempt wide right, this time from only 32 yards out. On
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#17328442423622124-525: A PAT attempt or successful field goal, the scoring team must kick the ball off to the other team. A safety is scored when the ball carrier is tackled in the carrier's own end zone. Safeties are worth two points, which are awarded to the defense. In addition, the team that conceded the safety must kick the ball to the scoring team via a free kick . Football games are played on a rectangular field that measures 120 yards (110 m) long and 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m) wide. Lines marked along
2301-454: A commercial real estate business, The Staubach Company, in partnership with Robert Holloway Jr., an associate of Henry S. Miller. He had prepared by working in the off-seasons from 1970 until 1977 for the Henry S. Miller Company . Staubach began working with real estate because "I couldn't have retired at my age and just played golf. First of all, they didn't pay quarterbacks what they do today. And I
2478-546: A commercial real estate firm that he later sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $ 613 million in 2008. He then became executive chairman of the Americas region of Jones Lang LaSalle until his retirement in 2018. The same year, he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom . Staubach was born in Cincinnati, Ohio , the only child of Elizabeth (née Smyth) and Robert Staubach. His father was a shoe and leather salesman and his mother worked as
2655-473: A common draft that would take place each year, and it instituted an annual World Championship game to be played between the champions of each league. This championship game began play at the end of the 1966 season. Once the merger was completed, it was no longer a championship game between two leagues and reverted to the NFL championship game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl . College football maintained
2832-732: A desperate attempt to score a game-winning or tying touchdown is referred to as a "Hail Mary" pass . In 1976, Staubach received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . Staubach was named The Walter Camp "Man of the Year" in 1983, and was awarded the Davey O'Brien Legends Award in 2001. On January 25, 2007, Staubach was named chairman of the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Bid Committee, whose goal
3009-567: A feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to "selling refrigerators to Eskimos ". Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia then agreed to intercollegiate play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association , although Yale did not join until 1879. Yale player Walter Camp , now regarded as
3186-453: A field goal instead. A group of officials, the chain crew, keeps track of both the downs and the distance measurements. On television, a yellow line is electronically superimposed on the field to show the first down line to the viewing audience. There are two categories of kicks in football: scrimmage kicks, which can be executed by the offensive team on any down from behind or on the line of scrimmage, and free kicks. The free kicks are
3363-607: A final ranking of No. 2 in the nation. He appeared on the cover of Time in October; he would also have been on the cover of Life magazine's November 29, 1963 issue, but for the assassination of President Kennedy. On New Year's Day, the Midshipmen lost the national championship to the No. 1 team, the University of Texas , in the 1964 Cotton Bowl . Earlier that season, Staubach led Navy to
3540-428: A game between Yale and Princeton, both teams used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records. Each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0–0 tie. This "block game" proved extremely unpopular with both teams' spectators and fans. A rule change was necessary to prevent this strategy from taking hold, and a reversion to the scrum was considered. However, Camp successfully proposed
3717-576: A game for the Allegheny Athletic Association against the Pittsburgh Athletic Club . This is the first recorded instance of a player being paid to participate in a game of American football , although many athletic clubs in the 1880s offered indirect benefits, such as helping players attain employment, giving out trophies or watches that players could pawn for money, or paying double in expense money. Despite these extra benefits,
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#17328442423623894-533: A large stick with a dial on it, is flipped after each play to indicate the current down and is typically moved to the approximate spot of the ball. The chain crew system has been used for over 100 years and is considered an accurate measure of distance, rarely subject to criticism from either side. Football is a full-contact sport, and injuries are relatively common. Most injuries occur during training sessions, particularly ones that involve contact between players. To try to prevent injuries, players are required to wear
4071-553: A league-suggested numbering scheme. Although the sport is played almost exclusively by men, women are eligible to play in high school, college, and professional football. No woman has ever played in the NFL, but women have played in high school and college football games. In 2018, 1,100 of the 225,000 players in Pop Warner Little Scholars youth football were girls, and around 11% of the 5.5 million Americans who report playing tackle football are female according to
4248-408: A long circumference of 28 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (71 to 72 cm), and a short circumference of 21 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). In college and high school play the ball has a long axis of 10 + 7 ⁄ 8 to 11 + 7 ⁄ 16 inches (27.6 to 29.1 cm), a long circumference of 27 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 28 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (70 to 72 cm), and
4425-420: A minimum of 10 feet (3.0 m) on high school fields. Goal posts are padded at the base, and orange ribbons are normally placed at the tip of each upright as indicators of wind strength and direction. The football itself is a prolate spheroid leather ball, similar to the balls used in rugby or Australian rules football . To contain the compressed air within it, a pig's bladder was commonly used before
4602-670: A national champion of college football. The first was the Bowl Coalition , in place from 1992 to 1994. This was replaced in 1995 by the Bowl Alliance , which gave way to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1997. The BCS arrangement proved to be controversial , and was replaced in 2014 by the College Football Playoff (CFP). A football game is played between two teams of 11 players each. Playing with more on
4779-420: A new set of downs, enabling them to run out the clock and end the game. Staubach finished the game with 17 out of 25 pass completions for 183 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. Dorsett was the leading rusher of the game, with 66 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also caught 2 passes for 11 receiving yards. In addition to his 29-yard touchdown pass, Newhouse also contributed with 55 rushing yards. DuPree
4956-428: A pass hits the ground without a player having caught it. A forward pass can be legally attempted only if the passer is behind the line of scrimmage; only one forward pass can be attempted per down. As in rugby, players can also pass the ball backwards at any point during a play. In the NFL, a down also ends immediately if the runner's helmet comes off. The offense is given a series of four plays, known as downs . If
5133-486: A passer rating of 0.0. Incredibly, after punting on their very first drive of the game, six of the next seven Broncos possessions resulted in a turnover, and there also was a fumble on a punt return. On the opening drive of the second half, the Broncos moved the ball deep into Cowboys territory. First, Schultz returned the second half kickoff 25 yards to the Denver 35, and then running back Otis Armstrong took off for an 18-yard gain. Seven plays later, kicker Jim Turner put
5310-501: A penchant for leading scoring drives which gave the Cowboys improbable victories. He led the Cowboys to 23 game-winning drives (15 comebacks) during the fourth quarter, with 17 of those in the final two minutes or in overtime. In the television show King of the Hill , Staubach's name has been used for the elementary school in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas . Staubach's most famous moment
5487-427: A quarter ends, play continues until the down is completed. If certain fouls are committed during play while time has expired, the quarter may be extended through an untimed down . Games last longer than their defined length due to play stoppages—the average NFL game lasts slightly over three hours. Time in a football game is measured by the game clock. An operator is responsible for starting, stopping and operating
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5664-414: A round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head, or sides, with the objective being to advance it into the opponent's goal. Rutgers won the game 6–4. Collegiate play continued for several years with games played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia , Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19, 1873, to create
5841-422: A rule in 1882 that limited each team to three downs , or tackles, to advance the ball 5 yards (4.6 m). Failure to advance the ball the required distance within those three downs would result in control of the ball being forfeited to the other team. This change effectively made American football a separate sport from rugby, and the resulting five-yard lines added to the field to measure distances made it resemble
6018-536: A school record for passing yards and scored 18 total touchdowns. Staubach entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1961, and played quarterback for the Midshipmen . As a third-class midshipman (sophomore) in 1962 , he got his first opportunity to play, in the third game of the season, against the University of Minnesota on October 6. He relieved starter Ron Klemick as the Minnesota defense, led by Bobby Bell and Carl Eller ,
6195-436: A secondary signal. Women can serve as officials; Sarah Thomas became the NFL's first female official in 2015. The seven officials (of a standard seven-man crew; lower levels of play up to the college level use fewer officials) on the field are each tasked with a different set of responsibilities: Another set of officials, the chain crew , are responsible for moving the chains. The chains, consisting of two large sticks with
6372-741: A secretary for General Motors . He is of partial German descent , and grew up in Silverton , a northeastern suburb of Cincinnati. He was a Boy Scout as a youth, attended St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, and graduated from the Catholic high school Purcell High School in Cincinnati (now named Purcell Marian High School ) in 1960. To prepare for his naval career, Staubach spent one year at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell , where he set
6549-662: A set of equipment. At a minimum players must wear a football helmet and a set of shoulder pads , but individual leagues may require additional padding such as thigh pads and guards, knee pads, chest protectors, and mouthguards . Most injuries occur in the lower extremities, particularly in the knee, but a significant number also affect the upper extremities. The most common types of injuries are strains , sprains , bruises , fractures , dislocations , and concussions . Roger Staubach Roger Thomas Staubach ( / s t ɔː b ɑː k / , - / b æ k / ; STAW -bahk , - back ; born February 5, 1942), nicknamed " Roger
6726-410: A short circumference of 20 + 3 ⁄ 4 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (53 to 54 cm). Football games last for a total of 60 minutes in professional and college play and are divided into two halves of 30 minutes and four quarters of 15 minutes. High school football games are 48 minutes in length with two halves of 24 minutes and four quarters of 12 minutes. The two halves are separated by
6903-452: A standard set of rules for use by all schools. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet (122 m × 76 m) were specified. Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. After playing McGill University using both American (known as "the Boston game ") for the first game and Canadian (rugby) rules for
7080-432: A touchdown, but the Cowboys emerged from the pile with the ball, still at their own 1-yard line. However, quarterback Roger Staubach managed to escape a sack for a safety and completed a 14-yard pass to running back Tony Dorsett . Two plays later, from the 19-yard line, Dorsett fumbled the ball forward into heavy traffic, but center John Fitzgerald made the recovery to keep possession for the Cowboys, who then punted. On
7257-449: A tradition of postseason bowl games . Each bowl game was associated with a particular conference and earning a spot in a bowl game was the reward for winning a conference. This arrangement was profitable, but it tended to prevent the two top-ranked teams from meeting in a true national championship game, as they would normally be committed to the bowl games of their respective conferences. Several systems have been used since 1992 to determine
Super Bowl XII - Misplaced Pages Continue
7434-459: A trio of linebackers, Thomas Henderson (3 interceptions), D.D. Lewis , and Bob Breunig , who provided pass coverage and run stoppage. Dallas also had a secondary led by future Hall of Famers cornerback Mel Renfro and safety Cliff Harris and Pro Bowl safety Charlie Waters . The Cowboys earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in three years by defeating the Chicago Bears , 37–7, and
7611-412: A turnover. Morton's passer rating for the game was 0.0, the lowest in Super Bowl history. Upchurch recorded 125 total offensive yards (94 on kickoff returns, 22 on punt returns, and 9 receiving yards). The Cowboys' superb defense played a critical role in the game. White and Martin were named co-Most Valuable Players; this award is usually bestowed on an offensive player. The voters actually wanted to name
7788-448: A two-month period. He considered Super Bowl XII to be the worst Super Bowl ever. Morton was a large part of the reason for Peters, who felt the Broncos' quarterback was lucky to have only been intercepted four times in the first half, and a total output that amounted to only one completion for positive yardage that was not followed by an immediate turnover. Nor had the Cowboys impressed him, in large part due to Herrera's missed field goals in
7965-429: Is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or throwing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball, aims to stop the offense's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves. The offense must advance
8142-425: Is called on the offense. There are two main ways the offense can advance the ball: running and passing . In a typical play, the center passes the ball backwards and between their legs to the quarterback in a process known as the snap . The quarterback then either hands the ball off to a running back, throws the ball, or runs with it. The play ends when the player with the ball is tackled or goes out-of-bounds or
8319-437: Is caught or recovered behind the line of scrimmage. If it is touched or recovered by the kicking team beyond this line, it becomes dead at the spot where it was touched. The kicking team is prohibited from interfering with the receiver's opportunity to catch the ball. The receiving team has the option of signaling for a fair catch , which prohibits the defense from blocking into or tackling the receiver. The play ends as soon as
8496-403: Is known as a two-point conversion . In general, the extra point is almost always successful, while the two-point conversion is a much riskier play with a higher probability of failure; accordingly, extra point attempts are far more common than two-point conversion attempts. A field goal (FG), worth three points, is scored when the ball is place kicked or drop kicked through the uprights and over
8673-407: Is responsible for all kicking plays. The special teams unit of the team in control of the ball tries to execute field goal (FG) attempts, punts , and kickoffs , while the opposing team's unit will aim to block or return them. Three positions are specific to the field goal and PAT (point-after-touchdown) unit: the placekicker (K or PK), holder (H), and long snapper (LS). The long snapper's job
8850-421: Is to block members of the defensive line from tackling the ball carrier on running plays or sacking the quarterback on passing plays. The leader of the offensive line is the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball to the quarterback, blocking, and for making sure that the other linemen do their jobs during the play. On either side of the center are the guards (G), while tackles (T) line up outside
9027-437: Is to snap the football to the holder, who will catch and position it for the placekicker. There is not usually a holder on kickoffs, because the ball is kicked off a tee; however, a holder may be used in certain situations, such as if wind is preventing the ball from remaining upright on the tee. The player on the receiving team who catches the ball is known as the kickoff returner (KR). The positions specific to punt plays are
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#17328442423629204-589: The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants , still referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played". The game, a 23–17 overtime victory by the Colts, was seen by millions of television viewers and had a major influence on the popularity of the sport. This, along with the innovations introduced by the new American Football League (AFL) in the early 1960s, helped football to become
9381-517: The Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V , losing by three points on a last-second field goal. In 1971 , Morton began the season as the starter, but after a loss to the New Orleans Saints , Staubach assumed the role. However, in a game against the Chicago Bears during the seventh week of that season, coach Tom Landry alternated Staubach and Morton on each play, sending in the quarterbacks with
9558-532: The Dallas Cowboys in 1969 , becoming the team's second major franchise quarterback after the retirement of Don Meredith in 1968. Staubach played with the Cowboys during his entire career. He led the team to the Super Bowl five times, four as the starting quarterback. He led the Cowboys to victories in Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII . Staubach was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI , becoming
9735-552: The Frank Sinatra song "Winners" to play over the closing montage. This game was featured in the All in the Family episode "Superbowl Sunday". Archie Bunker rented a big screen TV at his bar "Archie's Place" and sold ham sandwiches for $ 2.00. Later, two crooks (who were incognito throughout the episode) steal from and humiliate the patrons, by having them all pull down their pants, following
9912-580: The Kansas City Chiefs in the 16th round (122nd choice overall) of the 1964 American Football League Draft , also with a future selection. While still in the Navy during 1968 , he went to the Cowboys' rookie camp, using most of his annual military leave . During 1969 , Staubach resigned his naval commission just in time to join the Cowboys training camp. The Cowboys won their first NFC title in 1970 with Craig Morton starting at quarterback, but lost to
10089-515: The Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI in January 1972. He was named the game's MVP , completing 12 out of 19 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 18 yards. After the season, he negotiated his own contract, a three-year deal at about $ 75,000 per year. In 1972 , Staubach missed most of the season with a separated shoulder , but relieved Morton in a divisional playoff game against
10266-669: The San Francisco 49ers and threw two touchdown passes in the last 90 seconds to win 30–28. With that performance, he won back his regular job and did not relinquish it again during his career. Staubach led the Cowboys to a second Super Bowl win in the 1977 season. He threw for 183 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions in Dallas' 27–10 victory in Super Bowl XII over the Denver Broncos , led by his former teammate Morton. Staubach also led
10443-411: The kickoff , which starts the first and third quarters and overtime and follows a try attempt or a successful field goal; the safety kick follows a safety. On a kickoff, the ball is placed at the 35-yard line of the kicking team in professional and college play and at the 40-yard line in high school play. The ball may be drop kicked or place kicked. If a place kick is chosen, the ball can be placed on
10620-407: The punter (P), long snapper, upback , and gunner . The long snapper snaps the football directly to the punter, who then drops and kicks it before it hits the ground. Gunners line up split outside the line and race down the field, aiming to tackle the punt returner (PR)—the player who catches the punt. Upbacks line up a short distance behind the line of scrimmage, providing additional protection to
10797-468: The snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams, and the concept of downs. Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone , and specified the size and shape of the football. The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game, although its rules were developed independently from those of Camp. Most of
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#173284424236210974-462: The "Father of American Football", secured rule changes in 1880 that reduced the size of each team from 15 to 11 players and instituted the snap to replace the chaotic and inconsistent scrum . While the game between Rutgers and Princeton is commonly considered the first American football game, several years prior in 1862, the Oneida Football Club formed as the oldest known football club in
11151-531: The AFL New York Jets signed rookie Joe Namath to a then-record $ 437,000 contract (equivalent to $ 4.23 million in 2023). A five-year, $ 40 million NBC television contract followed, which helped to sustain the young league. The bidding war for players ended in 1966 when NFL owners approached the AFL regarding a merger, and the two leagues agreed on one that took full effect in 1970. This agreement provided for
11328-485: The Apache Band and Apache Belles Drill team from Tyler Junior College , clarinetist Pete Fountain , and trumpeter Al Hirt . The opening stages of the game were nearly disastrous for the Cowboys, who fumbled three times on their first two possessions, but did not turn the ball over on any of those fumbles. On their first play from scrimmage , Dallas attempted a double reverse, but wide receiver Butch Johnson fumbled
11505-463: The Broncos downfield to score a touchdown to close the gap on the lead to 20–10, capped by a Rob Lytle one-yard touchdown run. However, the Cowboys put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when fullback Robert Newhouse threw a 29-yard touchdown pass on a halfback option play to receiver Golden Richards . For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin . This
11682-412: The Broncos for 61 yards. Two interceptions led to 10 first-quarter points. Denver's longest play of the game was 21 yards, which occurred on their opening drive. Dallas extended its lead to 20–3 in the third quarter after wide receiver Butch Johnson made a diving catch in the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown reception. An ineffective Morton was replaced by Norris Weese late in the third quarter. He drove
11859-402: The Broncos on the board with a 47-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 13–3. But after an exchange of punts, the Cowboys mounted a 59-yard scoring drive in six plays with Staubach completing a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson , followed by a 45-yard touchdown pass to Johnson, who made a fingertip catch as he fell into the end zone, increasing the Dallas lead to 20–3. Johnson dropped
12036-555: The Broncos' locker room; while Bender covered the trophy presentation in the Cowboy locker room. The broadcast used what was called the Electronic Palette graphics system (created by CBS and Ampex ) for a painting-like aspect to several visual graphics; such as the game intro, starting lineups and bumpers going into or coming out of a commercial break. These graphics were done by sports artist LeRoy Neiman . CBS would also unveil what
12213-424: The Broncos' second possession, following an illegal use of hands penalty on Denver guard Tom Glassic , Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin simultaneously hit Morton as he attempted to throw, which resulted in a wobbly pass that failed to cross the line of scrimmage and was intercepted by safety Randy Hughes on the Denver 25-yard line. The Cowboys capitalized on the turnover in five plays, which started with
12390-550: The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings . The Broncos, led by Morton and the Orange Crush Defense , made their first-ever postseason appearance after a franchise-best 12–2 regular season record. Also with home-field advantage, Denver posted playoff wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders . The Cowboys defense dominated Super Bowl XII, forcing eight turnovers and allowing only eight pass completions by
12567-557: The Cowboys to appearances in Super Bowl X and Super Bowl XIII , where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers both times by a total of eight points. Staubach's offensive teammates included standout receivers "Bullet" Bob Hayes , Lance Alworth , Drew Pearson , and Golden Richards , tight ends Mike Ditka , Billy Joe Dupree , and Jackie Smith , tackle Rayfield Wright , and running backs Robert Newhouse , Calvin Hill , and Tony Dorsett . Dorsett, Hayes, Pearson, and Wright are in
12744-426: The Cowboys' lead to 13–0. The rest of the half was a seesaw of sloppy plays, turnovers, and missed opportunities. On the second play of the next Denver drive, Morton unleashed an errant pass intended for Moses for his third interception, this time by cornerback Benny Barnes at the Cowboys' 40-yard line. The Cowboys could not get points off of this turnover, as offensive tackle Ralph Neely was called for holding, which
12921-564: The Dec 18 matchup. It was the first of only two times that two teams have played each other in the Super Bowl after playing on the final weekend of the regular season (the New York Giants and New England Patriots played in the final week of the 2007 regular season and met again in Super Bowl XLII ). Under NFL scheduling rules put in place by Commissioner Roger Goodell prior to the 2010 season ,
13098-625: The Dodger ", " Captain America ", and " Captain Comeback ", is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys . He attended the U.S. Naval Academy , where he won the 1963 Heisman Trophy playing for the Midshipmen . After graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy , including a tour of duty in Vietnam . Staubach joined
13275-576: The FCS and 85 scholarship players in the FBS, respectively. Individual players in a football game must be designated with a uniform number between 1 and 99, though some teams may "retire" certain numbers , making them unavailable to players. NFL teams are required to number their players by a league-approved numbering system, and any exceptions must be approved by the commissioner . NCAA and NFHS teams are "strongly advised" to number their offensive players according to
13452-569: The Hall of Fame, as are Alworth, Ditka, and Smith (although those three were all with the Cowboys only at the end of their careers). During his final NFL season in 1979 , Staubach had career highs in completions (267), passing yards (3,586), and touchdown passes (27), with just 11 interceptions. He retired at the conclusion of the season in order to protect his long-term health, declining the Cowboys' offer for two more seasons. He suffered 20 concussions in his playing career, including six in which he said he
13629-588: The Minnesota Vikings , 23–6, in the playoffs. Their "Doomsday Defense" proved as dominant as ever in those two games, forcing 7 turnovers against Chicago and 4 against the Vikings. Meanwhile, the Broncos earned their first ever trip to the Super Bowl in team history by defeating the two previous league champions: the Pittsburgh Steelers , 34–21, and the Oakland Raiders , 20–17, in the playoffs. This made Morton
13806-445: The NFL with 653 punt return yards, while also catching 12 passes for 245 yards and recording 456 yards returning kickoffs. The backbone of the Broncos was their defense, a unit known as the " Orange Crush ", which used a 3–4 formation anchored by four superb linebackers, including Randy Gradishar (3 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries) and Tom Jackson (4 interceptions, 93 return yards, 1 touchdown). Defensive End Lyle Alzado anchored
13983-724: The Naval Academy in June 1965, Staubach could have requested an assignment in the United States, but he chose to volunteer for a one-year tour of duty in South Vietnam . He served as a Supply Corps officer for the Navy at the Chu Lai Base Area until 1967. Staubach supervised 41 enlisted men. Staubach returned from South Vietnam in September 1967, and spent the rest of his naval career in
14160-504: The Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1999, he was ranked No. 29 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the second-ranked Cowboy behind Bob Lilly . Staubach was one of the most famous NFL players of the 1970s. Known as "Roger The Dodger" for his scrambling abilities, "Captain America" as quarterback of America's Team , and also as "Captain Comeback" for his fourth-quarter game-winning heroics, Staubach had
14337-452: The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The role of the offensive unit is to advance the football down the field with the ultimate goal of scoring a touchdown . The offensive team must line up in a legal formation before they can snap the ball. An offensive formation is considered illegal if there are more than four players in the backfield or fewer than five players numbered 50–79 on
14514-439: The Super Bowl participants will no longer be able to play each other on the final weekend of the regular season, since all games on the final weekend now match division opponents. This was the first Super Bowl to feature arrow markers every ten yards, beginning at the 10 yard line, to indicate the direction of the nearest goal line, which were first used at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium in 1973. They became mandatory league-wide
14691-579: The United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia. American football evolved from the sports of rugby and soccer . Rugby, like American football, is a sport in which two competing teams vie for control of a ball, which can be kicked through a set of goalposts or run into the opponent's goal area to score points. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between Rutgers and Princeton , two college teams. They consisted of 25 players per team and used
14868-576: The United States. He played football on various service teams to prepare for his future career in the National Football League . During his tour at the naval air station in Pensacola, Florida , he quarterbacked the Goshawks, a team consisting of fellow U.S. Navy officers like himself, and played games against college football teams. He had access to the Dallas Cowboys playbook, and the Goshawks defeated many of
15045-455: The United States. The team consisted of graduates of Boston's elite preparatory schools and played from 1862 to 1865. The introduction of the snap resulted in an unexpected consequence. Before the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position. However, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they could now hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, in
15222-547: The United States: official time was kept on a scoreboard clock rather than on a watch in the referee's pocket, as the NFL did; optional two-point conversions by pass or run after touchdowns; names on the jerseys of players; and several others, including expansion of the role of minority players, actively recruited by the league in contrast to the NFL. The AFL also signed several star college players who had also been drafted by NFL teams. Competition for players heated up in 1965, when
15399-583: The Year Award . Denver tight end Riley Odoms was his main target, with 37 receptions for 429 yards. Wide receiver Haven Moses was also a major deep threat, catching 27 passes for 539 yards, an average of 20 yards per catch. However, the Broncos main offensive strength was their rushing game. Denver had 3 running backs, Otis Armstrong , Lonnie Perrin , and Rob Lytle , who carried the ball equally, combining for 1,353 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams , multi-talented wide receiver Rick Upchurch led
15576-488: The academy's 1965 baseball team , and also played for the school's basketball team . During his junior year at the Naval Academy, Staubach's color-blindness was detected and he was commissioned directly into the Supply Corps , which did not necessitate being able to tell the difference between red ( port ) and green ( starboard ) lights or to discern the color differences in electrical circuitry. After graduating from
15753-460: The advent of artificial rubber inside the leather outer shell to sustain crushing forces . At all levels of play, the football is inflated to 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 psi (86 to 93 kPa), or just under one atmosphere, and weighs 14 to 15 ounces (400 to 430 g); beyond that, the exact dimensions vary slightly. In professional play the ball has a long axis of 11 to 11 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (28 to 29 cm),
15930-444: The arms of cornerback Aaron Kyle , who returned the ball 20 yards to the Denver 35. Dallas then advanced to the Denver 8 on a 9-yard run by fullback Robert Newhouse and an 18-yard run by Dorsett, but Staubach was sacked by defensive end Lyle Alzado for a 10-yard loss on third down, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a 35-yard field goal by kicker Efrén Herrera to increase their lead to 10–0. The Broncos were forced to punt to start
16107-410: The ball at least ten yards in four downs or plays; if they fail, they turn over the football to the defense, but if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at
16284-435: The ball is caught, and the ball may not be advanced. Officials are responsible for enforcing game rules and monitoring the clock. All officials carry a whistle and wear black-and-white striped shirts and black hats except for the referee, whose hat is white. Each carries a weighted yellow flag that is thrown to the ground to signal that a foul has been called. An official who spots multiple fouls will throw their hat as
16461-478: The ball off, throws it, or runs with it. The primary role of the halfback, also known as the running back or tailback, is to carry the ball on running plays. Halfbacks may also serve as receivers. Fullbacks tend to be larger than halfbacks and function primarily as blockers, but they are sometimes used as runners in short-yardage or goal-line situations. They are seldom used as receivers. The offensive line (OL) consists of several players whose primary function
16638-406: The ball to the 1-yard line, and then running back Rob Lytle scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to cut Denver's deficit to 20–10. Dallas drove to the Denver 35 on their next possession, but Staubach was strip-sacked by Tom Jackson, and Carter recovered the fumble at the Broncos' 45 on the second play of the quarter. However, Weese was incomplete on his next three attempts, one on a pass to Upchurch in
16815-490: The ball when he hit the ground, but officials ruled it a touchdown before the ball came out of his hands. Denver wide receiver Rick Upchurch returned the ensuing kickoff a Super Bowl-record 67 yards to the Cowboys 26-yard line. On the next play, Morton nearly threw his fifth interception to Cowboys defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones , and was then immediately replaced by backup quarterback Norris Weese . Two plays later, on 4th-and-1, running back Jim Jensen 's 16-yard run moved
16992-461: The college teams they played against. Staubach was a tenth-round "future" selection in the 1964 NFL draft by the Cowboys . The NFL allowed the Cowboys to draft him one year before his college eligibility was over because he was four years out of high school, although due to his four-year military commitment, he would not play professionally until 1969 as a 27-year-old rookie. He was also drafted by
17169-534: The company's emphasis from commercial development to representing corporate clients seeking to lease or buy space. This proved fortuitous as a boom in Dallas office construction followed by a recession in the Texas oil industry left the city with excess office space, so companies representing tenants wielded greater influence. The company has worked with major businesses including AT&T, McDonald's Corporation, Hospital Corporation of America and K Mart Corporation. The company
17346-413: The crossbars of the defense's goalposts. In practice, almost all field goal attempts are done via place kick. While drop kicks were common in the early days of the sport, the shape of modern footballs makes it difficult to reliably drop kick the ball. The last successful scoring play by drop kick in the NFL was accomplished in 2006; prior to that, the last successful drop kick had been made in 1941. After
17523-399: The defense is to prevent the offense from scoring by tackling the ball carrier or by forcing turnovers . Turnovers include interceptions (a defender catching a forward pass intended for the offense) and forced fumbles (taking possession of the ball from the ball-carrier). The defensive line (DL) consists of defensive ends (DE) and defensive tackles (DT). Defensive ends line up on
17700-430: The defensive backfield. They are divided into two types: middle linebackers (MLB) and outside linebackers (OLB). Linebackers tend to serve as the defensive leaders and call the defensive plays, given their vantage point of the offensive backfield. Their roles include defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and tackling backs, wide receivers, and tight ends in the passing game. The defensive backfield , often called
17877-678: The distinction. He was the first player to receive the award, given it at the same time as Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page . The other two recipients, Earl Blaik and Bear Bryant , were both head coaches. On Friday, August 18, 2023, Staubach's alma mater, Purcell Marian High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, opened its new athletic complex, named Staubach Stadium in honor of Staubach. Staubach married his wife Marianne on September 4, 1965. Together they had five children. He and Marianne reside in Dallas , Texas. As of 2017, they have 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In 1977, he started
18054-557: The division playoffs against San Francisco , Staubach relieved Morton and rallied the team to victory, which assured Staubach of the starting job going forward. Morton was relegated to backup status until he left the team in 1974 to join the New York Giants . After spending three years with the Giants, Morton became the starting quarterback for the Broncos, a franchise with a dismal history. It had taken them 14 years (1960–1973) to record their first winning season and they had never once made
18231-419: The end of the game wins. American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football game was played on November 6, 1869 , between two college teams, Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time. A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the "Father of American Football", established
18408-604: The end of the game. Also, clips of some of the Cowboys' scoring plays were used to accompany the opening credits of the 1979 TV movie Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders . Additional clips of this game also appeared in the NFL's Greatest Games episode Doomsday at the Dome . The pregame festivities featured the Southern University Band along with the cheerleaders of both teams. Later, Phyllis Kelly of Northeast Louisiana University sang
18585-412: The end zone, and Denver punted. The Broncos forced a Cowboys punt, but Martin stripped the ball from Weese on third down, and Kyle recovered it on the Denver 29-yard line. On the next play, the Cowboys scored on a 29-yard halfback option play : Staubach pitched the ball to Newhouse, who ran left and then threw a pass to wide receiver Golden Richards for a touchdown, putting the game away for Dallas with
18762-472: The ends and sides of the field are known as the end lines and sidelines . Goal lines are marked 10 yards (9.1 m) inward from each end line. Weighted pylons are placed the sidelines on the inside corner of the intersections with the goal lines and end lines. White markings on the field identify the distance from the end zone. Inbound lines, or hash marks , are short parallel lines that mark off 1-yard (0.91 m) increments. Yard lines , which can run
18939-404: The ends of the line, while defensive tackles line up inside, between the defensive ends. The primary responsibilities of defensive ends and defensive tackles are to stop running plays on the outside and inside, respectively, to pressure the quarterback on passing plays, and to occupy the line so that the linebackers can break through. Linebackers line up behind the defensive line but in front of
19116-433: The entire 11-man starting defensive lineup as co-MVPs, and asked the NFL if this was acceptable. The league said no, and so two players were picked for the award. The unheralded Hughes and Kyle of the Cowboy secondary each had superb games to play an important role in the victory. The two men came up with five turnovers between them, leading directly to 17 of Dallas' points. The game was the 8th Super Bowl in 10 years in which
19293-527: The famous Army–Navy game . President John F. Kennedy attended the game, performing the coin toss. Staubach led the team to a 34–14 upset over Army, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. In his second class (junior) season of 1963 , he won the Heisman Trophy , Maxwell Award , and the Walter Camp Memorial Trophy while leading the Midshipmen to a 9–1 regular season record and
19470-556: The features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football. The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football . American football is the most popular sport in the United States in terms of broadcast viewership audience. The most popular forms of the game are professional and college football , with the other major levels being high-school and youth football. As of 2022 , nearly 1.04 million high-school athletes play
19647-468: The field is punishable by a penalty. Teams may substitute any number of their players between downs; this "platoon" system replaced the original system, which featured limited substitution rules, and has resulted in teams utilizing specialized offensive, defensive and special teams units. The number of players allowed on an active roster varies by league; the NFL has a 53-man roster, while NCAA Division I allows teams to have 63 scholarship players in
19824-454: The field was shortened to 100 yards (91 m) long, two 10-yard-long (9.1 m) end zones were created, and teams were given four downs instead of three to advance the ball 10 yards (9.1 m). The roughing the passer penalty was implemented in 1914, and eligible players were first allowed to catch the ball anywhere on the field in 1918. On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $ 500 (equivalent to $ 16,956 in 2023) to play
20001-401: The first Super Bowl between two teams who had met in regular season play. The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 14–6 on the final Sunday of the regular season at Texas Stadium . Both teams' starters saw limited action in that contest, since both squads had already clinched their respective division championships and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Denver was 12–1 and Dallas 11–2 prior to
20178-527: The first of four players to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP , along with Jim Plunkett , Marcus Allen , and Desmond Howard . He was named to the Pro Bowl six times during his 11-year NFL career. Staubach is one of ten players to both win the Heisman Trophy and be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the only quarterback. He is regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Upon his retirement Staubach founded The Staubach Group,
20355-423: The first play after that missed attempt, Denver yet again turned the ball over to Dallas when Kyle stripped the ball from tight end Riley Odoms , with Hughes recovering it again and returning it to the 28-yard line. However, on the next play, Dallas gave the ball right back to Denver as DuPree caught a 20-yard pass at the 8-yard line but fumbled after taking a hit from cornerback Steve Foley , with Tom Jackson making
20532-566: The first quarterback to start a Super Bowl game for two different franchises, and he remains the only quarterback to have started two different franchises' first Super Bowl appearances. This was the final Super Bowl in the 14-game schedule era. The following season, the NFL went to a 16-game schedule, which remained in place through the 2020 NFL season , before being replaced by a 17-game regular season in 2021 . Super Bowl XII provided an opportunity for Morton to not only beat his former team, but also to redeem himself for his Super Bowl V loss and
20709-433: The following season in 1978 . The game was broadcast in the United States by CBS . It was the first Super Bowl played in prime time , with a kickoff time of 6:17 p.m. Eastern / 5:17 p.m. Central . Play-by-play announcer Pat Summerall and color commentator Tom Brookshier were in the broadcast booth. Hosting the coverage was The NFL Today hosts Brent Musburger ; Irv Cross ; Phyllis George (in
20886-599: The formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States, later renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The legal forward pass was introduced in 1906, although its effect was initially minimal due to the restrictions placed on its use. The idea of a 40-yard-wider field was opposed by Harvard due to the size of the new Harvard Stadium . Other rule changes introduced that year included
21063-419: The game clock based on the direction of the appropriate official . A separate play clock is used to show the amount of time within which the offense must initiate a play. The play clock is set to 25 seconds after certain administrative stoppages in play and to 40 seconds when play is proceeding without such stoppages. If the offense fails to start a play before the play clock reads "00", a delay of game foul
21240-409: The game had a strict sense of amateurism at the time, and direct payment to players was frowned upon, if not prohibited outright. Over time, professional play became increasingly common, and with it came rising salaries and unpredictable player movement, as well as the illegal payment of college players who were still in school. The National Football League (NFL), a group of professional teams that
21417-443: The ground or a tee; a holder may be used in either case. On a safety kick, the kicking team kicks the ball from their own 20-yard line. They can punt, drop kick or place kick the ball, but a tee may not be used in professional play. Any member of the receiving team may catch or advance the ball. The ball may be recovered by the kicking team once it has gone at least ten yards and has touched the ground or has been touched by any member of
21594-417: The ground. Wide receiver Drew Pearson was the leading receiver on the team with 48 receptions for 870 yards, while Pro Bowl tight end Billy Joe DuPree recorded 28 receptions for 347 yards and provided blocking support on running plays. The Cowboys also had a new weapon on offense: rookie running back Tony Dorsett , the previous year's Heisman Trophy winner. Despite not becoming a full-time starter until
21771-434: The guards. The principal receivers are the wide receivers (WR) and the tight ends (TE). Wide receivers line up on or near the line of scrimmage, split outside the line. The main goal of the wide receiver is to catch passes thrown by the quarterback, but they may also function as decoys or as blockers during running plays. Tight ends line up outside the tackles and function both as receivers and as blockers. The role of
21948-421: The half, this time from 44 yards out, as time expired. By halftime, the Cowboys had fumbled five times (losing one), had missed three field goals, and had allowed four sacks, but still led 13–0. Meanwhile, the Broncos had committed a halftime record 7 turnovers. Morton, who had thrown only 8 interceptions during the entire 1977 season, was picked off 4 times in the half in addition to 3 fumbles lost, finishing with
22125-457: The handoff. Johnson recovered his own fumble, but was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Denver linebacker Tom Jackson on the play, forcing the Cowboys to punt two plays later. The Broncos then advanced to the Dallas 33-yard line on their first drive of the game, aided by a fair catch interference penalty on Cowboys linebacker Thomas Henderson during the punt, enabling Denver to start on their own 47-yard line. Broncos quarterback Craig Morton completed
22302-524: The last game of her first stint on The NFL Today before leaving to host the short-lived People the following season). Also contributing were Hank Stram (who had recently been fired by the New Orleans Saints ); Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder ; Sonny Jurgensen (working on CBS Radio coverage); Gary Bender ; Paul Hornung ; Nick Buoniconti and Jack Whitaker . Buoniconti and Hornung served as sideline reporters; with Hornung doing postgame interviews in
22479-586: The line, while their secondary was led by defensive backs Bill Thompson (who recorded 5 interceptions) and Louis Wright (who had 3 interceptions). The Broncos defense had given up just 148 points during the season, an average of just 10.6 per game and the 3rd-fewest in the NFL. With Staubach and his team's Doomsday Defense , the Cowboys won the NFC East with a 12–2 regular season record. Staubach threw for 2,620 yards and 18 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions, while also gaining 171 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on
22656-457: The loss of his starting job to Staubach. For Staubach, he had a chance to win his second Super Bowl and defeat his old rival, showing that he truly was the better quarterback of the two. Tony Dorsett became the first football player in history to win an NCAA National Championship one year (with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers ) and a Super Bowl the next. Dorsett won both championships in
22833-503: The most popular sport in the United States by the mid-1960s. The rival AFL arose in 1960 and challenged the NFL's dominance. The AFL began in relative obscurity but eventually thrived, with an initial television contract with the ABC television network. The AFL's existence forced the conservative NFL to expand to Dallas and Minnesota in an attempt to destroy the new league. Meanwhile, the AFL introduced many new features to professional football in
23010-556: The multibillion-dollar real estate company he started 30 years earlier. On July 11, 2008, The Staubach Company was sold to Jones Lang LaSalle for $ 613 million. Staubach and his children's trust would gross more than $ 100 million from the sale by 2013. The sale provided an initial payment of $ 9.27 per Staubach share with additional payments due during the ensuing five years for a total of approximately $ 29/share. Staubach took half of his first payment in Jones Lang LaSalle stock which
23187-406: The national anthem. Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Red Grange participated in the coin toss ceremony. Prior to 1976 , the official coin toss was held 30 minutes prior to kickoff and was re-enacted three minutes prior to kickoff to inform the television audience and spectators in the stadium of the outcome. The halftime show was "From Paris to Paris of America" featuring performances by
23364-429: The offense advances ten or more yards in the four downs, they are awarded a new set of four downs. If they fail to advance ten yards, possession of the football is turned over to the defense. In most situations, if the offense reaches their fourth down they will punt the ball to the other team, which forces them to begin their drive from farther down the field; if they are in field goal range , they might attempt to score
23541-429: The offensive line. Players can line up temporarily in a position whose eligibility is different from what their number permits as long as they report the change immediately to the referee, who then informs the defensive team of the change. Neither team's players, except the center (C), are allowed to line up in or cross the neutral zone until the ball is snapped. Interior offensive linemen are not allowed to move until
23718-510: The official NFL.com boxscore and the ProFootball reference.com game summary. Some records have to meet NFL minimum number of attempts to be recognized. The minimums are shown (in parentheses). Turnovers are defined as the number of times losing the ball on interceptions and fumbles. Source: American football American football , referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football ,
23895-562: The opening game victory over Penn State and missed the next four games, and Navy finished the season at 3–6–1. The Naval Academy retired Staubach's jersey number (12) during his graduation ceremony after his senior season. In 1981, Staubach was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame . In 2007, Staubach was ranked No. 9 on ESPN 's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. When his collegiate football career ended, Staubach finished his Academy sports career as captain of
24072-445: The plane of the two end lines. The crossbar of these posts is 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground, with vertical uprights at the end of the crossbar 18 feet 6 inches (5.64 m) apart for professional and collegiate play, and 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 m) apart for high school play. The uprights extend vertically 35 feet (11 m) on professional fields, a minimum of 10 yards (9.1 m) on college fields, and
24249-596: The play call from the sideline. Dallas gained almost 500 yards of offense but committed seven turnovers that resulted in a 23–19 loss to a mediocre Bears squad that dropped the Cowboys to 4–3 for the season, two games behind the Washington Redskins in the NFC East race. Staubach assumed the full-time quarterbacking duties in week eight with a victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and led the Cowboys to 10 consecutive victories, including their first Super Bowl victory, 24–3 over
24426-524: The playoffs. But under the leadership of the newly arrived Morton and their new coach Red Miller , Denver finished 1977 with a 12–2 record and earned the #1 seed in the AFC. Morton did not put up a large number of passing yards (1,929) during the regular season, but he threw 14 touchdown passes and only 8 interceptions, while also rushing for 125 yards and 4 touchdowns, earning him the NFL Comeback Player of
24603-448: The point(s)-after-touchdown (PAT) or conversion, which is a single scoring opportunity. This is generally attempted from the two- or three-yard line, depending on the level of play. If the PAT is scored by a place kick or drop kick through the goal posts, it is worth one point, typically called the extra point. If the PAT is scored by what would normally be a touchdown, it is worth two points; this
24780-478: The president of the philanthropic organization No Greater Love in 1981. During the early 1980s, Staubach worked for a brief time as a color commentator for CBS Sports ' NFL telecasts. On November 9, 1980, during a close game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys , Staubach broadcast a nostalgic comment by exclaiming he would like to be "right down there in the middle of it". The Cowboys lost 38–35 . Staubach jointly owned Hall of Fame Racing ,
24957-422: The punter. In football, the winner is the team that has scored more points at the end of the game. There are multiple ways to score in a football game. The touchdown (TD), worth six points, is the most valuable scoring play in American football. A touchdown is scored when a live ball is advanced into, caught, or recovered in the opposing team's end zone. The scoring team then attempts a try, more commonly known as
25134-401: The receiving team. The three types of scrimmage kicks are place kicks, drop kicks, and punts. Only place kicks and drop kicks can score points. The place kick is the standard method used to score points, because the pointy shape of the football makes it difficult to reliably drop kick. Once the ball has been kicked from a scrimmage kick, it can be advanced by the kicking team only if it
25311-444: The recovery. Five plays later, with the Broncos desperate to get on the board before the end of the half, Morton uncorked yet another errant pass that was intercepted by cornerback Mark Washington who returned the ball 27 yards to Denver's 35-yard line. There were 6 seconds remaining on the clock after the interception, but Dallas yet again could not capitalize as Herrera missed yet another field goal attempt wide left, his third miss of
25488-439: The reduction of playing time from 70 to 60 minutes and an increase of the distance required for a first down from 5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m). To reduce infighting and dirty play between teams, the neutral zone was created along the width of the football before the snap. Scoring was also adjusted: points awarded for field goals were reduced to three in 1909 and points for touchdowns were raised to six in 1912. Also in 1912,
25665-534: The rulebook for the 1876 college football season , when the sport first shifted from soccer-style rules to rugby-style rules. Although it could easily have been called "rugby" at this point, Harvard, one of the primary proponents of the rugby-style game, compromised and did not request the name of the sport be changed to "rugby". The terms " gridiron " or "American football" are favored in English-speaking countries where other types of football are popular, such as
25842-493: The running due to a date conflict with a convention . A favorite going into the vote, New Orleans won on the fourth ballot after representatives promised they would prevent price gouging by the local hotels. In selecting the Superdome, owners rejected maintaining an AFC / NFC host site rotation, an unofficial, and mostly coincidental pattern that had been in place for several seasons. The main storyline surrounding Super Bowl XII
26019-566: The same building; Pitt clinched the 1976 national championship by defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 1977. Dallas was the only NFC team to win the Super Bowl during the 1970s (although both Baltimore and Pittsburgh were pre-merger NFL teams). Both Cowboy victories in the decade came in New Orleans against teams making their first Super Bowl appearance. This was
26196-452: The second one, the Harvard players preferred the Canadian style of having only 11 men on the field, running the ball without having to be chased by an opponent, the forward pass, tackling, and using an oblong instead of a round ball. An 1875 Harvard–Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two Princeton athletes who were impressed by it. They introduced the sport to Princeton,
26373-409: The second quarter, and the Cowboys then advanced to the Denver 19 from their own 42, which featured a 19-yard pass by Staubach to DuPree. On third down, Staubach appeared to unleash a pass that was intercepted in the end zone by Broncos safety Bill Thompson ; however, the officials ruled that Staubach had stepped out of bounds before he threw the ball. Herrera then kicked a 43-yard field goal to increase
26550-468: The second quarter. "Blowouts can at least be fun to watch sometimes", he concluded. "This game was nothing but pain." at Louisiana Superdome , New Orleans, Louisiana Sources: NFL.com Super Bowl XII , Super Bowl XII Play Finder Dal , Super Bowl XII Play Finder Den Completions/attempts Carries Long gain Receptions Times targeted The following records were set in Super Bowl XII, according to
26727-503: The secondary, consists of cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S). Safeties are themselves divided into free safeties (FS) and strong safeties (SS). Cornerbacks line up outside the defensive formation, typically opposite a receiver to be able to cover them. Safeties line up between the cornerbacks but farther back in the secondary. Safeties tend to be viewed as "the last line of defense" and are responsible for stopping deep passing plays as well as breakout running plays. The special teams unit
26904-411: The snap of the ball. The main backfield positions are the quarterback (QB), halfback/tailback (HB/TB), and fullback (FB). The quarterback is the leader of the offense. Either the quarterback or a coach calls the plays. Quarterbacks typically inform the rest of the offense of the play in the huddle before the team lines up. The quarterback lines up behind the center to take the snap and then hands
27081-523: The sport in the U.S., with another 81,000 college athletes in the NCAA and the NAIA . The National Football League (NFL) has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the world . Its championship game, the Super Bowl , ranks among the most-watched club sporting events globally. In 2022, the league had an annual revenue of around $ 18.6 billion, making it the most valuable sports league in
27258-518: The team through the playoffs and eventually to their Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts , 16–13. The next year, Staubach won the starting job and eventually led Dallas to defeat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI , 24–3. Staubach was also named Super Bowl MVP during that game. In 1972 , Morton started most of the Cowboys' games as Staubach was out with a separated shoulder. However, in
27435-524: The tenth game of the regular season, Dorsett led the team in rushing with 1,007 yards, scored 13 total touchdowns, and was the team's third leading receiver with 29 receptions for another 273 yards. Veteran fullback Robert Newhouse provided Dorsett with blocking, and was the team's second leading rusher with 721 yards, while also catching 16 passes for another 106 yards. Running back Preston Pearson contributed 341 yards rushing, caught 46 passes for 535 yards, and scored 5 touchdowns. The Cowboys' offensive line
27612-491: The time was played at the collegiate level . The upstart NFL received a boost to its legitimacy in 1925, however, when an NFL team, the Pottsville Maroons , defeated a team of Notre Dame all-stars in an exhibition game . A greater emphasis on the passing game helped professional football to distinguish itself further from the college game during the late 1930s. Football, in general, became increasingly popular following
27789-461: The time), Newhouse accomplished a tight spiral to Richards that he caught in stride for the score. Denver, now playing for pride, reached the Dallas 25-yard line on their next possession, but turned the ball over on downs after a sack on Weese by linebacker D. D. Lewis , a delay of game penalty, and back-to-back incomplete passes. The Broncos then forced the Cowboys to punt, but a roughing the kicker penalty on Denver linebacker Rob Nairne gave Dallas
27966-411: The width of the field, are marked every 5 yards (4.6 m). A one-yard-wide line is placed at each end of the field; this line is marked at the center of the two-yard line in professional play and at the three-yard line in college play. Numerals that display the distance from the closest goal line in yards are placed on both sides of the field every ten yards. Goalposts are located at the center of
28143-408: The winning team decides to defer, the losing team chooses the option the winning team did not select—to receive, kick, or select a goal to defend to begin the second half. Most teams choose to receive or defer, because choosing to kick the ball to start the game allows the other team to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch goals following the first and third quarters. If a down is in progress when
28320-516: The winning team scored enough to win before the losing team put up any points on the board (the exceptions were the two lost by the Cowboys to this point, Super Bowl V and Super Bowl X ). By contrast, this has happened only four times since, in Super Bowls XV , XVIII , XXXV , and XLVIII . In 2015, on the occasion of Super Bowl 50 , Slate webpage writer Justin Peters watched all the games over
28497-402: The world. Other professional and amateur leagues exist worldwide, but the sport does not have the international popularity of other American sports like baseball or basketball ; the sport maintains a growing following in the rest of North America, Europe, Brazil, and Japan. In the United States, American football is referred to as "football". The term "football" was officially established in
28674-532: Was "knocked out". After suffering two concussions in 1979, a doctor at Cornell told Staubach that while his brain tests were fine at the moment, another concussion could have life-altering consequences. He chose to retire and was replaced as the Cowboys starting quarterback by Danny White . Overall, Staubach finished his 11 NFL seasons with 1,685 completions for 22,700 yards, 153 touchdowns, and 109 interceptions. He also gained 2,264 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns on 410 carries. For regular-season games, he had
28851-607: Was 37 with three kids. I kept thinking about [what would happen] if some linebacker takes off my head and I can't play anymore." He said "Henry Miller Jr. was a lot like [legendary Cowboys coach Tom] Landry . They both had similar haircuts ... they both had phenomenal integrity, great work ethic, and they could transfer their strengths to other people." The Staubach Company has been his primary endeavor since retirement from football. The company first developed several office buildings; Holloway managed construction while Staubach found tenants. In 1982, Staubach bought out Holloway and shifted
29028-423: Was Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach versus Broncos quarterback Craig Morton . Morton began his career playing for Dallas in 1965 . Staubach joined the Cowboys in 1969 after four years of service in the U.S. Navy , and soon both quarterbacks competed for the starting job. During the 1970 season , both Morton and Staubach started for about half of the regular season games. Morton was ultimately selected to lead
29205-608: Was also involved with residential development, with ownership stakes in 27 apartments and other real estate projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Some of these were in partnership with Cowboys teammate Bob Breunig through S.B.C. Development Corporation, then a subsidiary of the Staubach Company. Others were collaborations with local developers and investors, including Ross Perot . He served as its chairman and CEO until June 20, 2007, when he announced he would resign as CEO of
29382-688: Was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named Super Bowl MVP. The NFL awarded Super Bowl XII to New Orleans on March 16, 1976, at the owners' meetings held in San Diego . It was the first of seven Super Bowls (as of 2023 ) to be played at the Louisiana Superdome . However, it was not the first one scheduled for the Superdome; Super Bowl IX was scheduled to be played there, but construction delays forced it to be played at Tulane Stadium . A total of six cities submitted bids: New Orleans , Miami , Pasadena ( Rose Bowl ), Los Angeles ( Coliseum ), Dallas , and Houston . However, Dallas dropped out of
29559-490: Was followed by defensive tackle Rubin Carter sacking Staubach for a 5-yard loss, the fourth sack of the game for Denver, forcing a three-and-out and a punt. However, the punt struck an unsuspecting Schultz on his helmet as he attempted to throw a block during the return, and the ball was quickly recovered by Dallas linebacker Bruce Huther . The Cowboys then advanced to the Broncos' 26 on a 14-yard run by Dorsett, but Herrera missed
29736-513: Was instituted. Despite these new rules, football remained a violent sport. Dangerous mass-formations like the flying wedge resulted in serious injuries and deaths. A 1905 peak of 19 fatalities nationwide resulted in a threat by President Theodore Roosevelt to abolish the game unless major changes were made. In response, 62 colleges and universities met in New York City to discuss rule changes on December 28, 1905. These proceedings resulted in
29913-592: Was known as the "Action Track"; showing the trail of a football that had been kicked during replays. Also, when the planned lead-in (the Phoenix Open golf tournament) was halted due to poor weather, CBS Sports president Robert Wussler (in New York) and producer Barry Frank (at the Superdome ) ended up filling the time period with an impromptu look at how the game would be produced. As in their previous Super Bowl ; CBS used
30090-494: Was led by All-Pro tackle Rayfield Wright . Meanwhile, the Cowboys' Doomsday Defense remained in the superb form that helped lead the Cowboys' Super Bowl X appearance. Their defensive line consisted of Harvey Martin (who recorded 20 sacks and earned the National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award ), Jethro Pugh , Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Randy White . Behind them, the Cowboys had
30267-519: Was originally established in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, aimed to solve these problems. This new league's stated goals included an end to bidding wars over players, prevention of the use of college players, and abolition of the practice of paying players to leave another team. By 1922, the NFL had established itself as America's premier professional football league. The dominant form of football at
30444-464: Was stifling in its 21–0 victory. Staubach was 0–2 passing and was sacked twice for -24 yards. A week later, playing against Cornell University, with the offense failing, coach Wayne Hardin decided to put Staubach into the game to see if he could improve the team's offense. He led Navy to six touchdowns, throwing for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 88 yards and another score as Navy won 41–0. A few weeks later, Staubach started again in
30621-466: Was the " Hail Mary pass " in the 1975 playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings . With seconds on the clock and the Cowboys trailing 14–10, Staubach launched a 50-yard pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson , who caught the pass and strode into the end zone for a 17–14 victory. After the game, Staubach said he threw the ball and said a " Hail Mary ". Since then, any last-second pass to the end zone in
30798-531: Was the first Super Bowl in a domed stadium, and the first time that the game was played in prime time in the Eastern United States . The game pitted Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach against their former quarterback, Craig Morton . Led by Staubach and the Doomsday Defense , Dallas advanced to its fourth Super Bowl after posting a 12–2 record in the regular season and home playoff victories over
30975-460: Was the leading receiver of the game with 4 receptions for 66 yards. Hughes had an interception and a Super Bowl record two fumble recoveries. Before being taken out of the game, Denver's starting quarterback Craig Morton completed just 4 out of 15 passes for 39 yards and was intercepted 4 times. His 21-yard completion to Haven Moses on the Broncos' opening drive was the only pass he completed that both resulted in positive yardage and did not end in
31152-410: Was then trading at approximately $ 59.50/share. Staubach served as executive chairman of the Americas region of Jones Lang LaSalle until his retirement in 2018. During the 1970s and early 1980s, he was a spokesperson for the men's clothing retailer Anderson-Little , appearing in both print and television advertisements. Later, he did television advertisements for Rolaids as well. Staubach served as
31329-644: Was to have the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex host the Super Bowl in 2011. On May 23, 2007, the NFL chose Dallas as the host city of Super Bowl XLV . In 2010, Staubach was named the No. 1 Dallas Cowboy of all time according to a poll conducted by the Dallas Morning News . In November 2018, Staubach was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump , becoming one of only four recipients associated with American Football to receive
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