Sound represents the very essence of the NFL, and nobody understands that better than Bose. As we count down the weeks to Super Bowl 50, let's relive some of the most iconic moments in football history with these 50 greatest sounds of the NFL. This installment is 30-21.
30. Odell Beckham Jr.'s one-handed catch
11/23/2014: Unless you've been living under a football rock, you've probably seen Odell Beckham Jr.'s inhuman one-handed catch. From the Cowboys 43-yard line, Eli Manning heaved a pass to Beckham, who drew a penalty on the play and still scored a touchdown by catching the ball with one hand BEHIND HIS FREAKING HEAD. Hearing Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth trying to explain what they just witnessed makes the whole thing even better.
29. Chad Johnson Best Sound FX
Enigmatic. Outspoken. Ochocinco. Throughout his career, Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson never shied away from the camera. Rapping on the sidelines, playfully antagonizing opponents, spitballing with coaches, Chad did it all. Take a listen to the very best soundbites from one of the league's most unique personalities.
28. Phil Luckett's Botched Coin Toss
11/26/1998:Football is not an easy sport. From the strategy to the superhuman quickness of on-field play, successfully completing an NFL game is not an easy task for coaches, players or referees. However, one of the simpler aspects is the coin toss, or so we thought. During a Thanksgiving Day matchup between the Steelers and Lions, Phil Luckett misheard Jerome Bettis and botched the coin toss at the beginning of the game's overtime. Or did he? Either way, the confusion that ensues is priceless.
27. Leon Lett Fumble in Super Bowl XVII
1/31/1993:Defensive linemen don't often get to handle the football, so it's understandable when they pounce on an opportunity to steal the limelight. Well, sometimes. After scooping up a fumble during Super Bowl XVII, Leon Lett showboated his way into the end zone, holding the ball out for all to see. Unfortunately for Lett, Bills receiver Don Beebe saw it, too, and used his 4.2 speed to chase down the lumbering lineman. The events that unfolded next are narrated perfectly by broadcaster Dick Enberg, who can barely contain his amusement.
26. Jim Mora: "Diddly Poo" & "Playoffs?!"
Few have cemented their legacy with postgame comments quite like coach Jim Mora. Known for his impassioned tirades and use of colorful language, Mora had the ability to turn any interview into a soundbite for the ages. Mora's two most famous quotes both come from a press conference following a particularly disheartening loss: one as coach of the Saints and the other as coach of the Colts. Sit back and listen to two of the greatest postgame tirades in history.
25. Brett Favre's Tearful Goodbye
3/6/2008:While the Brett Favre saga would continue for several more years, his retirement from the Green Bay Packers marked a sobering end for one of football's most endearing relationships. For 16 seasons, Favre and the Packers were synonymous as the young gunslinger rose from anonymity and lifted the historic franchise back to greatness. After announcing his retirement earlier that week, Favre faced the media and delivered one of the more emotional press conference speeches in recent memory. Seven years later, he would finally be inducted into the Green Bay PackersHall of Fame.
12/28/2003: We all have at least one vivid memory (or several if you're a Browns fan) of our favorite team losing in the most agonizing of ways. In these moments, local broadcasters are held to the unenviable expectation of staying professional on air while narrating their own team's demise. However, they occasionally slip, just like Vikings announcer Paul Allen did during the final play of the Vikings and Cardinals game in 2003. With just seven seconds remaining and the Cardinals 28 yards away from the end zone on fourth down, quarterback Josh McCown needed a miracle, or some poor defense, to give his team the win. Well, he got both, and Paul Allen's reaction is nothing short of legendary.
23. "You Play to Win the Game!"
10/30/2002:Sometimes we forget that behind all the strategy and preparation, sports has a very simple goal. Luckily, we have Herm Edwards to remind us. Following an embarrassing New York Jets loss in Week 8, Edwards was asked if he was concerned with his team "giving up" after falling to 2-5. His response was beautifully simple and painfully obvious. Take a listen..
22. "Just Win, Baby!"
1/22/1984:Al Davis will always be regarded as one of the NFL's most polarizing figures. Never one to concede defeat, Davis successfully moved his Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982 after a controversial and highly-publicized legal battle with the league. Just one season later, the Raiders were Super Bowl champions, fueled by standout running back Marcus Allen. During the postgame interview, Davis reminded his exuberant teammates and staff to "just win, baby!" This clip includes one of the few recorded instances of Davis using the legendary motto in his own words.
21. Immaculate Reception
12/23/1972:Arguably the most iconic and controversial play in NFL history, the sights and sounds of the "Immaculate Reception" will forever be a mainstay in football history. With under 30 seconds remaining and the Steelers trailing 7-6, Terry Bradshaw's prayer was answered when the ball tipped off the hands of Raiders defender Jack Tatum and into the hands of the Steelers' Franco Harris. Harris rumbled into the end zone to give the Steelers an improbable 13-7 victory. Announcer Curt Gowdy's audible disbelief perfectly captures the uncertainty surrounding the play that still remains to this day.
