Super Bowl XV was an
American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game played on January 25, 1981 at the
Louisiana SuperdomeThe Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans,
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
to decide the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) champion following the
1980 regular seasonThe 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
. The
American Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC)
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(15–5) defeated the
National Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion
Philadelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(14–5), 27–10, to become the first wild card playoff team to win a
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
.
The Raiders jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter, which the Eagles never recovered from. Oakland
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Jim PlunkettJames William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
was named the
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
, completing 13 of 21 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 9 yards. Plunkett would be the second
Heisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner to be named Super Bowl MVP after
Roger StaubachRoger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
in
Super Bowl VISuper Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1971 regular season...
.
Plunkett's revival with the Raiders
Super Bowl XV was the climax of Plunkett's revival as an NFL starting quarterback. The 1970
Heisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner was drafted by the
New England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and was later named the 1971
NFL Rookie of the YearSince 1967, the Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to National Football League players: one for an offensive player and one for a defensive player. These two are often regarded as the "official" awards...
. But Plunkett suffered through 5 losing seasons with the Patriots and 2 uneven seasons with the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
before being released as a free agent before the 1978 season.
Plunkett was signed by Oakland to be their backup quarterback, and thus he did not see much playing time, throwing no passes in 1978 and just 15 passes in 1979. But after the Raiders started the 1980 season with a 2-3 record, starter
Dan PastoriniDante "Dan" Anthony Pastorini is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles.-NFL career:...
broke his leg and suddenly Plunkett was thrust into the starting role. The 33-year old Plunkett got off to a bad start, throwing 5 interceptions in a 31-17 loss to the
Kansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
after relieving Pastorini. However, he recovered and led the Raiders to victory in 9 of their last 11 games in the season, qualifying for the playoffs as a wild card team. Plunkett made 165 out of 320 pass completions for 2,299 yards, 18 touchdown passes, and was intercepted 15 times. He also contributed 141 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground.
The Raiders' main offensive deep threat was wide receiver
Cliff BranchCliff Branch is a retired American football wide receiver who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, winning three Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII...
(44 receptions, 858 yards, 7 touchdown), while wide receiver
Bob ChandlerRobert Donald Chandler was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League.-Professional career:...
contributed 49 receptions for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back
Mark van EeghenMark van Eeghen ,is an American football player, who played ten years in the National Football League, including making two Super Bowl appearances. He was a member of the Oakland Raiders and for two seasons, the New England Patriots...
was the team's top rusher with 838 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also catching 29 passes for 259 yards. Halfback Kenny King rushed for 761 yards and catching 22 passes for 145 yards. The Raiders also had an outstanding offensive line led by 2 future Hall of Famers, tackle
Art ShellArthur "Art" Shell is an American former collegiate and professional football player in the American Football League and later in the NFL, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, and a two-time former head coach of the Oakland Raiders...
and guard
Gene UpshawEugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association...
. Upshaw became the first player to play in three Super Bowls with the same team in three different decades. He also played in Super Bowls
IIThe second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida....
(1967) and
XISuper Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
(1976).
Oakland's defense, anchored by defensive end
John MatuszakJohn Daniel "Tooz" Matuszak was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who later became an actor. He was the first draft pick of 1973 and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981...
, was punishing. Defensive back
Lester HayesLester Hayes is a former professional American football player for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League....
led the league in interceptions (13) and interception return yards (273), and was the league's Defensive Player of the Year. The Raiders also had a trio of great linebackers: future
Hall of FamerThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Ted HendricksTheodore Paul Hendricks is a Hall of Fame former American football linebacker who logged 15 seasons for the Baltimore Colts , the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
,
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er
Rod MartinRod Martin is a retired National Football League linebacker who played for the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders from 1977 to 1988.-College career:...
(3 Interceptions) and standout rookie
Matt MillenMatthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
.
The Raiders were led by Head Coach
Tom FloresThomas R. "Tom" Flores is a retired American football quarterback and coach. Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two people in the National Football League history to win a Super Bowl as a player, as an assistant coach, and as a head coach...
, the first minority coach to win a Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles
Under Head Coach
Dick VermeilRichard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
, Philadelphia advanced to their first ever Super Bowl in team history, and had not played in a league championship game since their 1960 NFL championship. The Eagles were led by quarterback
Ron JaworskiRonald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
, who completed 257 out of 451 passes for 3,529 yards during the regular season, including 27 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. Another key player on the Eagles offense was halfback
Wilbert MontgomeryWilbert Montgomery is a former American football player in the National Football League for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions...
, who was widely considered one of the top running backs in the NFL and had rushed for over 1,200 rushing yards in the last 2 seasons. Injuries during the 1980 regular season had limited him to just 778 yards, but he proved he was fully recovered in the postseason by rushing for 194 yards in the NFC title game. Montgomery was also a superb receiver out of the backfield, recording 50 receptions for 407 yards. The other main deep threats on offense, wide receivers
Harold CarmichaelLee Harold Carmichael is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles , and one season for the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Southern University...
and
Charlie SmithCharles Albert Smith is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played eight seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles . He played college football at Grambling State....
, along with tight end
Keith KrepfleKeith Robert Krepfle is a former American football tight end who played for eight seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1975–1981 and the Atlanta Falcons in 1982. He was selected by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft...
, combined for 125 receptions, 2,090 yards, and 16 touchdowns.
The Eagles defense led the league in the fewest points allowed during the regular season (222). Nose tackle Charlie Johnson anchored the line, and even managed to record 3 interceptions. Defensive end
Claude HumphreyClaude B. Humphrey is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.-Professional career:...
led the team in sacks with 14 and a half. Linebackers
Jerry RobinsonJerry Dewayne Robinson is a former professional American football linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League. He played in Super Bowl XV with the Philadelphia Eagles and went to the Pro Bowl after the 1981 season.Robinson starred at UCLA, where he was a three-time...
and
Bill BergeyWilliam Earl Bergey is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University and for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles....
excelled at both stopping the run and pass coverage. Philadelphia also had a fine secondary, led by veteran defensive backs
Herman EdwardsHerman "Herm" Edwards, Jr. is an American football analyst who most recently coached in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fired from this position on January 23, 2009. Since then, he has been hired as a football analyst for ESPN...
(3 interceptions) and
Brenard WilsonBrenard Kenric Wilson , is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1979 to 1987...
(6 interceptions), along with rookie
Roynell YoungRoynell Young is a former professional American football safety and cornerback who played for the Philadelphia Eagles his entire NFL career from 1980 to 1988. Young was selected by the Eagles from Alcorn State University in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft...
(4 interception). The Eagles defense was a major factor in their hard fought 10-7 victory over the Raiders in the regular season; they sacked Plunkett 8 times.
Playoffs
The Eagles advanced through the playoffs, defeating the
Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, 31-16, and the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, 20–7.
Meanwhile, Plunkett and the Raiders defeated the Houston Oilers, 27–7, the
Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
14–12 on a play known as
Red Right 88Red Right 88 was the designation of a Cleveland Browns passing play that was called during the January 4, 1981 American Football Conference divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders; in the years since, the term has been used to refer to the game itself and its ending.Trailing 14-12 with...
, and the
San Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 34–27. In doing so, Oakland became the third
wild cardThe term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
team to advance to the Super Bowl, and the first wild card team to win three postseason rounds since the NFL expanded to a 10-team playoff format in
1978The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded the regular season from a 14-game schedule to 16. Furthermore, the playoff format was expanded from 8 teams to 10 teams by adding another wild card from each conference...
.
Super Bowl pregame news and notes
In the days before the game, most sports writers were speculating over whether, if the Raiders won, NFL Commissioner
Pete RozelleAlvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
would present the
Vince Lombardi TrophyThe Vince Lombardi Trophy is the trophy awarded each year to the winning team of the National Football League's championship game, the Super Bowl.-History:...
to the team's owner
Al DavisAllen "Al" Davis was an American football executive. He was the principal owner of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League from 1970 to 2011...
. Prior to the season, the league declined to approve the Raiders' proposal to move from
Oakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
to
Los AngelesLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. In reaction, the team sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws. The conflict caused much friction between Rozelle and Davis (The Raiders would eventually win the lawsuit, allowing the team to move to Los Angeles before the
1982 seasonThe 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
).
Oakland became the first team to avenge a regular-season loss in the Super Bowl. The Eagles defeated the Raiders 10–7 on November 23 at
Veterans StadiumPhiladelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
.
This game marked the first Super Bowl where both teams used the 3-4
defensive formationAmerican football strategy concerns the deployment of offensive, defensive, and special teams players in American football.-Offensive strategy:The goal of offensive strategy is to score points...
as their base defense. The Raiders were the first team to use the 3-4 in the Super Bowl in
Super Bowl XISuper Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
against the
Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, although the
Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
used a version of the 3-4 ("53 defense") in
Super Bowl VISuper Bowl VI was an American football game played on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1971 regular season...
,
Super Bowl VIISuper Bowl VII was an American football game played on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1972 regular season...
and
Super Bowl VIIISuper Bowl VIII was a professional American football game played on January 13, 1974 at Rice Stadium. in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 1973 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Miami Dolphins defeated the National Football...
. The 3-4 would be used by at least one team in every Super Bowl between Super Bowl XV and
game XXVIIISuper Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
.
Television and entertainment
The game was broadcast in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
with
Dick EnbergRichard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
handling the play-by-play duties and
color commentatorA color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
s
Merlin OlsenMerlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
,
John BrodieJohn Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Early years and education:...
, and
Len DawsonLeonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
(who wasn't in the broadcast booth with Enberg and Olsen).
Bryant GumbelBryant Charles Gumbel is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show. He is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.-Early life:...
and
Mike AdamleMichael David "Mike" Adamle is a sports personality and former National Football League player. He is best known as the co-host of American Gladiators series for seven years....
of
NFL '80 anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage.
The pregame festivities honored the end of the
Iran hostage crisisThe Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
(which was announced 5 days before the game), which featured a performance by the
Southern UniversitySouthern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
band. A large yellow bow 80 feet (24.4 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide was attached to the outside of the Superdome, while miniature bows were given to fans.
Singer, actress, and dancer
Helen O'ConnellHelen O'Connell was an American singer, actress, and dancer.Born in Lima, Ohio, O'Connell joined the Jimmy Dorsey band in 1939 and achieved her best selling records in the early 1940s with "Green Eyes", "Amapola," "Tangerine" and "Yours"...
later sang the national anthem. The
coin tossCoin flipping or coin tossing or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives, sometimes to resolve a dispute between two parties...
ceremony featured Marie Lombardi, the widow of
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Green Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
head coach
Vince LombardiVincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
.
The halftime show, featuring singers and dancers, was a "
Mardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
Festival".
Game summary
Oakland linebacker
Rod MartinRod Martin is a retired National Football League linebacker who played for the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders from 1977 to 1988.-College career:...
intercepted Eagles quarterback
Ron JaworskiRonald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
's first pass of the game and returned it 17 yards to Philadelphia's 30-yard line, setting up
Jim PlunkettJames William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
's 2-yard touchdown pass to
Cliff BranchCliff Branch is a retired American football wide receiver who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, winning three Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII...
7 plays later. After each team punted once, Jaworski threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rodney Parker, but the score was nulified by an illegal motion penalty on wide receiver
Harold CarmichaelLee Harold Carmichael is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles , and one season for the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Southern University...
and the Eagles ended up being forced to punt. The Raiders later scored another touchdown with about a minute left in the period. On third down from the Oakland 20-yard line, Plunkett threw the ball to running back Kenny King at the 39-yard line as he was scrambling around in the backfield to avoid being sacked. King caught the pass as it carried just over the outstretched arms of defensive back
Herman EdwardsHerman "Herm" Edwards, Jr. is an American football analyst who most recently coached in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fired from this position on January 23, 2009. Since then, he has been hired as a football analyst for ESPN...
and took off to the end zone for a Super Bowl record 80-yard touchdown reception.
On their first possession of the second quarter, the Eagles reached the Raiders' 13-yard line, but the drive stalled and they had to settle for kicker Tony Franklin's 30-yard field goal to cut score 14-3. Then with less than 4 minutes left in the period, the Raiders reached the Eagles 27-yard line, only to have kicker
Chris BahrChris Bahr is a former professional American football and soccer player. He was a placekicker in the National Football League and played midfielder in the North American Soccer League.-Soccer:...
miss a 45-yard field goal. The Eagles then drove 62 yards to Oakland's 11-yard line. With just 54 seconds left in the half, Franklin attempted a 28-yard field goal, but Raiders linebacker
Ted HendricksTheodore Paul Hendricks is a Hall of Fame former American football linebacker who logged 15 seasons for the Baltimore Colts , the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
extended his 6'7" frame at the line and blocked the kick.
The Raiders then took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored quickly. Plunkett completed a 13-yard pass to King and a 32-yard completion to receiver
Bob ChandlerRobert Donald Chandler was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League.-Professional career:...
to move the ball to Philadelphia's 33-yard line. Then after a 4-yard run by running back
Mark van EeghenMark van Eeghen ,is an American football player, who played ten years in the National Football League, including making two Super Bowl appearances. He was a member of the Oakland Raiders and for two seasons, the New England Patriots...
, Plunkett threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Branch, increasing Oakland's lead to 21-3. The Eagles responded by driving 56 yards to the Raiders 34-yard line, but on third down and 3, Jaworski threw his second interception of the game to Martin. Oakland subsequently drove 40 yards and scored with Bahr's 46-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 24–3.
The Eagles finally managed to score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to 24–10. Starting from their own 12-yard line, a 43-yard reception by receiver
Charlie SmithCharles Albert Smith is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played eight seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles . He played college football at Grambling State....
sparked an 88-yard, 12-play drive that was capped by Jaworski's 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Keith KrepfleKeith Robert Krepfle is a former American football tight end who played for eight seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1975–1981 and the Atlanta Falcons in 1982. He was selected by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft...
. But on their ensuing drive, Oakland marched from their own 11 to the Eagles 17-yard line. Philadelphia kept the Raiders out of the end zone, but Bahr kicked his second field goal, increasing Oakland's lead to 27-10.
Oakland's defense then dominated the rest the game, forcing two turnovers on Philadelphia's last 2 possessions of the game to prevent any chance of a comeback. On the Eagles' next drive, Jaworski lost a fumble. Later, Martin recorded a Super Bowl record third interception, and the Raiders ran out the clock to win the game.
Jaworski finished the game with more completions (18) and yards (291) than Plunkett, but completed just 18 of 38 attempts and was intercepted 3 times. Van Eeghen was the top rusher of the game with 75 yards. King was the top receiver with 93 yards and a touchdown off of just 2 receptions. Eagles running back
Wilbert MontgomeryWilbert Montgomery is a former American football player in the National Football League for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions...
led Philadelphia in rushing and receiving with 44 rushing yards and 6 receptions for 91 yards.
After the game, the expected heated confrontation between Rozelle and Davis was actually very civil. As Rozelle presented the Lombardi Trophy to Davis, he praised Plunkett, head coach Tom Flores, the players, and the entire Raiders organization for being the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl. Davis thanked Rozelle, then proceeded to also praise the team.
Box score
Starting lineups
| Oakland |
|
Philadelphia |
| OFFENSE |
| Cliff Branch Cliff Branch is a retired American football wide receiver who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, winning three Super Bowl rings in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV and Super Bowl XVIII...
|
WR |
Harold Carmichael Lee Harold Carmichael is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles , and one season for the Dallas Cowboys . He played college football at Southern University...
|
| Art Shell Arthur "Art" Shell is an American former collegiate and professional football player in the American Football League and later in the NFL, a Hall of Fame offensive tackle, and a two-time former head coach of the Oakland Raiders...
|
LT |
Stan Walters Stanley Peter Walters is a former professional American football player.He was drafted in the 1972 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League and entered their starting line-up midway through his rookie season. In 1975, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he...
|
| Gene Upshaw Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association...
|
LG |
Petey Perot Edward Joseph "Petey" Perot is a former professional American football offensive lineman. He started in Super Bowl XV for the Philadelphia Eagles. Perot played college football at Northwestern State University and was drafted in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He also...
|
| Dave Dalby David Merle Dalby was a former American football center.-College:Dalby played for UCLA, where he became part of their All-Century team as center...
|
C |
Guy Morriss Guy W. Morriss is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas A&M University–Commerce, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Morriss served as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky for two seasons and at Baylor...
|
| Mickey Marvin Mickey Marvin is a former professional American football player. After attending the University of Tennessee, Marvin played in the National Football League for 11 seasons, from 1977 to 1987, as an offensive guard with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders...
|
RG |
Woody Peoples Woodrow Peoples, Jr. was a former American football offensive lineman. The Grambling State standout was a two-time Pro Bowler with the San Francisco 49ers, and the 1980 NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles during his 13-year NFL career.Woody Peoples was inducted into the -External Links:**...
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| Henry Lawrence |
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Jerry Sisemore Jerald Grant "Jerry" Sisemore is a former American football offensive lineman who played for 12 seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973–1984...
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| Raymond Chester Raymond Tucker Chester was an American football tight end.Chester was drafted in the first round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He played twelve years in the NFL for the Raiders and Colts, and made four Pro Bowl squads...
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TE |
Keith Krepfle Keith Robert Krepfle is a former American football tight end who played for eight seasons in the National Football League. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1975–1981 and the Atlanta Falcons in 1982. He was selected by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft...
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| Bob Chandler Robert Donald Chandler was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League.-Professional career:...
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WR |
Charlie Smith |
| Jim Plunkett James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
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QB |
Ron Jaworski Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
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Mark Van EeghenMark van Eeghen ,is an American football player, who played ten years in the National Football League, including making two Super Bowl appearances. He was a member of the Oakland Raiders and for two seasons, the New England Patriots...
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FB |
Leroy Harris -College career:Following a stint at Fort Scott Community College, Harris played two seasons for Arkansas State and was selected All-Southland Conference in both 1975 and 1976. His 1976 season saw him rush for 1046 yards on 150 carries with 12 touchdowns....
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| Kenny King |
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Wilbert Montgomery Wilbert Montgomery is a former American football player in the National Football League for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions...
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John MatuszakJohn Daniel "Tooz" Matuszak was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League who later became an actor. He was the first draft pick of 1973 and played most of his career with the Oakland Raiders until he retired after winning his second Super Bowl in 1981...
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LE |
Dennis Harrison Dennis Harrison, Jr. is a former professional American football player who played ten seasons in the National Football League. He played in Super Bowl XV for the Philadelphia Eagles and was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1981 season...
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| Reggie Kinlaw Reggie Kinlaw Reggie Kinlaw Reggie Kinlaw (born January 9, 1957 is a former American football defensive tackle who played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners and for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League. He graduated from Miami Springs Senior High School....
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NT |
Charlie Johnson Charles Johnson is a former professional American football player who played nine seasons in the National Football League. He played in Super Bowl XV for the Philadelphia Eagles and was selected to three Pro Bowls. Johnson played college football at the University of Colorado....
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| Dave Browning David Browning is a retired American football defensive end. He played in Super Bowl XV for the Oakland Raiders....
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RE |
Carl Hairston Carl Blake Hairston is a former professional American football player. He is currently the defensive line coach for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League....
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Ted HendricksTheodore Paul Hendricks is a Hall of Fame former American football linebacker who logged 15 seasons for the Baltimore Colts , the Green Bay Packers and the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders in the National Football League...
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LOLB |
John Bunting |
Matt MillenMatthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
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LILB |
Bill Bergey William Earl Bergey is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played collegiately for Arkansas State University and for the American Football League's Cincinnati Bengals and the NFL Philadelphia Eagles....
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| Bob Nelson |
RILB |
Frank LeMaster Frank Preston LeMaster is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1974 through 1982. At 6'1", 195-lb., LeMaster was drafted by the Eagles from the University of Kentucky in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL Draft...
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| Rod Martin Rod Martin is a retired National Football League linebacker who played for the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders from 1977 to 1988.-College career:...
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ROLB |
Jerry Robinson Jerry Dewayne Robinson is a former professional American football linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League. He played in Super Bowl XV with the Philadelphia Eagles and went to the Pro Bowl after the 1981 season.Robinson starred at UCLA, where he was a three-time...
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| Lester Hayes Lester Hayes is a former professional American football player for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League....
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LCB |
Roynell Young Roynell Young is a former professional American football safety and cornerback who played for the Philadelphia Eagles his entire NFL career from 1980 to 1988. Young was selected by the Eagles from Alcorn State University in the first round of the 1980 NFL Draft...
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| Dwayne O’Steen Dwayne O'Steen was an American football player who played seven seasons in the National Football League He was a part of the Oakland Raiders Super Bowl XV winning team. O'Steen died in 2001 of an apparent heart attack....
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RCB |
Herman EdwardsHerman "Herm" Edwards, Jr. is an American football analyst who most recently coached in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fired from this position on January 23, 2009. Since then, he has been hired as a football analyst for ESPN...
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| Mike Davis Michael Leonard Davis is a retired American football safety.-College career:Davis played college football at the University of Colorado.-Professional career:...
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SS |
Randy Logan Randolph "Randy" Logan is a former American football safety who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973 to 1983. He was drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 1973 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Michigan...
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| Burgess Owens Clarence Burgess Owens is a retired safety who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders...
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FS |
Brenard Wilson Brenard Kenric Wilson , is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1979 to 1987...
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Officials
- Referee: Ben Dreith
Ben Dreith is a former American professional football on-field official who worked from 1960 to 1969 in the American Football League and from 1970 to 1990 in the NFL. Prior to his teaching and officiating career, he was a three-sport athlete at the University of Northern Colorado.Dreith developed...
#12
- Umpire: Frank Sinkovitz
Frank Bernard Sinkovitz was an American football center and linebacker who played six seasons in the National Football League. He then worked as an umpire for 26 seasons, wearing uniform number 20, which was later worn by Larry Nemmers. He officiated Super Bowl XV. He was born in Steelton,...
#20
- Head Linesman: Tony Veteri
- Line Judge: Tom Dooley
Robert Thomas "Tom" Dooley Jr. was an American football official for 32 years with 14 of those years in the National Football League from 1978 to 1992 as a line judge and referee. Dooley was assigned Super Bowl XV in 1981 as line judge...
#6
- Field Judge: Fritz Graf
- Side Judge: Dean Look
Dean Zachary Look was an American college and Professional Football player. A quarterback at Michigan State and for the American Football League New York Titans, a Major League Baseball outfielder, and American football official in the National Football League...
- Back Judge: Tom Kelleher #25
- Alternate Referee: Dick Jorgensen
Dick Jorgensen was an American football official in the National Football League for 23 years until the conclusion of the 1989 NFL season. Jorgensen's career was highlighted by being selected to referee Super Bowl XXIV in 1990 and was an alternate official in Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl XV...
#6
- Alternate Umpire: John Keck #4