Even if you’re not a big football fan you’ve probably been around a TV that has football on it in the last month due to all the holidays, family gatherings, and amount of college and pro games being played. There were even a few Hail Mary’s thrown. But where did that term come from?
For those that don’t know, a Hail Mary is when the Quarterback throws a last second desperation pass, usually 50 yards or more, to the end zone to try and win the game. Back in 1975 a guy named Roger Staubach playing for Dallas at the time threw a 50-yard TD pass to beat Minnesota.
When the on-field reporter asked him about the final winning play after the game he said “I guess you could call it a Hail Mary. You throw it up and pray.”
The term stuck ever since.
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