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 40-31.
40. Mike Tirico's Fail Mary call
9/24/2012: The referee lockout in 2012 cast a cloud over the beginning of the NFL season, but the replacement referee's monumental fail at the end of Week 3's Packers vs Seahawks game quickly restored order to the league's officiating personnel, in the most chaotic way possible. Mike Tirico's call of the botched hail mary ruling during ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast perfectly captures the confusion surrounding the play and the madness that ensued.
39. "Bless his heart, he's got to be the sickest man in America."
1/21/1979: There's no stage bigger than the Super Bowl in the world of football. It's a place where both dreams and nightmares can come true. Just ask former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith who dropped a wide open touchdown pass in the end zone in Super Bowl XIII. The Cowboys trailed 21-14 in the third quarter when Smith dropped the pass. They ended up losing the game 35-31. As announcer Verne Lundquist said, "Bless his heart."
38. "We're on to Cincinnati."
10/1/2014:When you think eloquence and colorful language, you think Bill Belichick. Well, maybe not. While the New England Patriots head coach may not be the warmest or most gregarious person in the league, you have to admit, his press conferences are pretty entertaining. Here he is two days after the Patriots lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 41-14, back in 2014. Can you guess who their next opponent is?
37. The Catch II
1/3/1999:Some say that happy endings only happen in movies, but for the rest of us, that's why we have sports. For 49ers fans, fairy tale endings are a staple of the team's decorated history, as was the case during the 1999 NFC Wild Card game versus the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre and his Packers had played spoiler to the 49ers' Super Bowl aspirations for three consecutive years, eliminating them from contention each of the three years prior. But, with eight seconds left and 25 yards to go, Steve Young and Terrell Owens had a different idea. Young found Owens in the end zone for the game-winner and Joe Starkey's radio call of The Catch II, as it came to be known, is a soundbite for the ages.
36. Peyton Manning loves Omaha
1/12/2014: Here's a question: what is Peyton Manning's favorite city in Nebraska? If you had trouble answering that question, try checking out the video above. Manning garnered attention in the 2013 postseason when he was heard shouting "Omaha" at the line of scrimmage 44 times versus the San Diego Chargers. Manning has been known to audible and alter protections more than most signal callers, but his infatuation with this particular call gave football fans quite the laugh. So what does it mean? Well, he "kind of explained it"
35. Marino Fake Spike Touchdown Pass
11/27/1994:As the saying goes, "Fake it 'till you make it." For Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, that catchphrase was never truer than in a Week 13 showdown with the New York Jets at the Meadowlands back in 1994. With 22 seconds left in the game and the Dolphins trailing by three points, Marino made every indication that he intended to spike the ball at the 8-yard line to stop the clock and set up a potential game-tying field goal. Instead, Marino's theatrics allowed the Dolphins to take advantage of an unprepared Jets defense. Marino fired the pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram for the game-winning touchdown, much to the surprise of announcers Marv Albert and Paul Maguire.
34. "That's my quarterback."
1/14/2008: When Terrell Owens isn't dancing with the stars or throwing popcorn in his face, he's often wearing his emotions on his sleeve. The outspoken wide receiver is never afraid to let his feelings show and this was particularly true at a 2008 press conference following (another) Cowboys playoff letdown. The team was lambasted by media after failing to live up to their regular season hype and much of the blame was placed on Tony Romo (where it has remained since). However, Owens loves his teammates, and particularly his quarterback, and was having no part of what he deemed was "unfair" criticism. He let the world know and got his eyes a little sweaty in the process. We miss you, T.O.
33. Peyton Manning released by the Colts
3/7/2012:Seeing an NFL legend cut or traded from their team is unsettling for many. It'd be like seeing Batman exiled from Gotham City or Superman banished from Metropolis. But, sadly, it does happen, and it's the nature of the game in the NFL. For Peyton Manning, his release from the Indianapolis Colts was one fraught with emotion as he said farewell to the only franchise he'd ever known. Even heroes have the right to bleed.
32. Brett Favre Best Sound FX
1/8/2011: While we most recently remember Brett Favre as a grey-haired gunslinger fighting against Father Time (and often winning), the legendary quarterback's soul refused to age along with his body. Favre's playful nature made him a hit across the league as he made a career of winning over the hearts of fans, teammates, referees and even opponents. Over the years, NFL Films/Sound FX captured hundreds of classic Favre soundbites, ranging from the endearing to the downright absurd. Take a listen.
31. "Tonight, we are all Patriots."
2/3/2002:Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans was filled with dramatic storylines. It was the first Super Bowl since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The high-powered (Greatest Show on Turf) offense that was the St. Louis Rams were seeking their second Super Bowl title in three years, while the underdog New England Patriots were being led by a 24-year-old quarterback named Tom Brady. The Patriots shocked the football world when kicker Adam Vinatieri nailed a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired. As Patriots owner Bob Kraft accepted the Super Bowl trophy, he reminded fans and viewers everywhere that this win was about more than just football.
