They have produced 16 touchdowns, including three from the arm of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. There have been 193 Hail Mary attempts since the start of the 2009 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information tracking, including the regular season and playoffs. Hail Marys have succeeded roughly once in every 12 attempts over the past decade, boosted by unique protection schemes, enhanced quarterback fundamentals, counterintuitive defensive techniques and a debate on whether to blitz or play coverage. In the ensuing years, NFL teams have synthesized the desperate heaves into a science that no longer needs intervention from the mother of Jesus. 'A Catholic kid from Cincinnati,' as he told NFL Films in a documentary on the play. Staubach joked afterward that he had closed his eyes and said a Hail Mary prayer with the ball in the air.

The pass was a few yards short of the end zone, but receiver Drew Pearson outmuscled the only defender contesting him for the ball and trotted in for the winning score. Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach gave his best receiver simple instructions as the Cowboys lined up at the 50-yard line: make a move and go deep. The Dallas Cowboys were trailing the Minnesota Vikings 14-10 in the final seconds of a divisional-round playoff game. The first Hail Mary in pro football was nothing like the choreographed desperation we see today. Per ESPN Stats and Information, only 9.7% of Hail Mary tries have been completed over the last 10 seasons (through Week 10 of 2020). The Arizona Cardinals successfully completed a game-winning Hail Mary to win on Sunday. NFL, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota VikingsĮditor's note: This story was originally posted in 2019. The evolution of the Hail Mary: The perfect throw - and how to defend it

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Hail mary football plays