Simply final weekend, the New York Giants allowed 33 fourth-quarter factors in opposition to the Denver Broncos to lose a recreation by which it appeared inconceivable for them to do something apart from win. How wild was it? Within the 1,602 earlier situations of an NFL crew main by 18 or extra factors with six minutes left, all 1,602 groups that have been forward completed with a victory. The Giants, who had a 26-8 lead late, one way or the other did not.
It was beautiful, astounding, confounding. It appeared unprecedented. Sadly, Giants followers knew it wasn’t.
“This ranks up there with the ’02 [playoff] loss to San Francisco,” Bob Papa, the Giants’ longtime radio announcer, mentioned afterward. “And naturally,” he added, “with 2010.”
In fact — 2010.
Now, because the Giants try and get better from the Broncos catastrophe and put together to face the rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox), it appears becoming (albeit a little bit merciless) to commemorate the 15-year anniversary of what many who dwell for the Giants or work for the Giants or love the Giants contemplate to be absolutely the greatest intestine punch in franchise historical past.
Dec. 19, 2010. A recreation that meant, and nonetheless means, a lot to so many. That is the oral historical past of a second identified to some as “The Miracle on the New Meadowlands.” And to others, extra merely, as “The Punt.”
Half 1: The buildup
The 2010 Giants had excessive expectations for his or her first season within the new Meadowlands Stadium: Along with quarterback Eli Manning, the crew had stars reminiscent of Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck anchoring the protection, in addition to Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks on offense. Tom Coughlin was in his seventh season because the coach.
After dropping two of their first three video games, the Giants reeled off eight wins of their subsequent 10. With a victory in Week 15 in opposition to Michael Vick and the Eagles, the Giants can be in a commanding place to say the NFC East and arrange a playoff run.
On a chilly day in New Jersey, they could not have appeared any higher, both. For a lot of the afternoon, the stadium felt like a celebration because the Giants dominated the Eagles.
DeSean Jackson, Eagles vast receiver/kick returner: I might do not forget that prefer it was yesterday, man. It was a recreation the place we have been struggling within the first half. (Laughs.) Nothing might appear to go our approach. I believe it was, you realize, 3-24 once we went into halftime.
Tom Coughlin, Giants coach: They have been excited at halftime. Everyone was speaking about simply ending the sport — [as if it were] nothing-nothing, half-hour to go.
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers guard/Decrease Merion Excessive College (Pa.) basketball legend (in 2019 to NFL Movies): We would simply completed a recreation [against the Toronto Raptors]. I had a crew that was just about stuffed with Cowboys followers, and so they favored to benefit from the Eagles’ distress. And that was trying like one in every of them. We’re on the bus and we’re attempting to look at it.
Michael Vick, Eagles quarterback: We received down … no matter variety of factors we have been down. I misplaced monitor.
Andy Reid, Eagles coach: We weren’t superb that first half. However no person was down. They have been annoyed, however they weren’t down.
Bob Papa, Giants radio announcer: Eli Manning throws the brief landing go to Kevin Boss six minutes into the fourth quarter, and it is 31-10. And I keep in mind simply watching folks in inexperienced rise up and begin strolling out of the stadium. I am going to always remember turning to [analyst] Carl Banks — we have been speaking in the course of the business break, and he is like, “That is what Invoice Belichick would all the time preach to us: Simply hold all the things in entrance of you. Hold all the things in entrance of you.” And, you realize, that is precisely what they did not do.
The unspooling occurred in a flash. First, Vick hit Brent Celek for a 65-yard landing go to make it 31-17 with 7:28 remaining. Then the Eagles recovered a shock onside kick and scored once more, with Vick scrambling 35 yards to arrange a sneak into the top zone. Abruptly, it was 31-24 with 5:28 to go.
Coughlin: I believe there was very a lot a priority on my half as to how briskly they went down the sphere. That is not what the intent was.
Vick: I believe as soon as we made some performs downfield, I seen the momentum shift.
Jackson: It was only a few performs that clicked our approach.
Papa: The crew that was main felt like they have been trailing.
The Giants’ offense stalled once more, and the Eagles surged as soon as extra. Vick to Jeremy Maclin from 13 yards out tied the sport at 31 with 76 seconds left. The Giants have been reeling, however dangerous because it had been, they nonetheless had a shot at a profitable discipline objective or, worst case (they imagined), they’d go to additional time.
Matt Dodge, Giants punter: I assumed we have been going to get the ball again, drive down, kick a discipline objective. If we received a primary down, we’re both going to go to additional time or go kick a discipline objective. However we had a pair incompletions and we weren’t shifting the ball. I am, like, “Oh man, we’ll need to kick. We’ll need to punt.” Which is ok. I imply, that is what you observe for.
Bryant (in 2019): I used to be in shock watching it and simply hoping.
Jackson: I knew in any state of affairs the place we would have liked a giant return or we have been dropping that I used to be going to get my quantity referred to as. And that is form of what occurred. Coach was like, “The way you feelin’? You prepared?” I am like, “Man, do not ask me that. You understand I am prepared. I am all the time prepared for the second.”
Half 2: The play
Jeff Feagles, a two-time Professional Bowler, had punted for the Giants for the earlier seven seasons. However after Feagles retired within the spring of 2010, the Giants drafted Dodge within the seventh spherical out of East Carolina.
Dodge’s rookie season had been admittedly up-and-down, however as he mentioned, “That is form of how I used to be as a punter. I all the time had fairly excessive averages — I might common 40 [yards] for a recreation and that may embrace a 60-yarder and 20-yard shank.” As he jogged onto the sphere in opposition to the Eagles with 14 seconds left and the sport tied, his process appeared as easy because it comes.
Coughlin: You are going to punt the ball out of bounds, you are going to get one play, and also you defend the one play, and also you go into additional time.
Jackson: They usually purposely referred to as timeout. It was like, “Man, don’t punt this ball to this man.” I assumed he was going to, like, punt it out the stadium.
Dodge: They referred to as the play “Kick It Out of Bounds.” (Laughs.) That is most likely the identify of the play. And if I forgot, like, the man promoting sizzling canines instructed me to kick it out of bounds. Everybody knew. So, sure, to reply the query: I used to be attempting to kick it out of bounds. However I caught it a little bit bit inside. And it simply wasn’t shut sufficient to the sideline.
Papa: Sadly for Matt Dodge, he choked in a giant second. I imply, earlier than [Jackson] even caught it, I used to be anticipating doom.
Vick: When he first kicked it and I seen the low trajectory on the kick, I used to be saying to myself, “Why would he kick it to DeSean?” They usually was on their very own from there. I knew what he might do.
Reid: I believe it went off his foot incorrect. As a result of I noticed it was a line drive, which is double-trouble: If you are going to kick it to [Jackson], you undoubtedly need some dangle time. I am pondering, “This can be a lovely factor.”
Jackson: It was actually a type of issues the place I used to be shocked and I used to be like, “Wow, he did kick it to me.” I dropped the ball, which, you realize, I inform folks was on objective, proper? (Smiling.) I dropped the ball on objective.
Papa: Folks form of received out of their lanes as a result of now they see the ball is on the bottom. I all the time marvel if he caught it cleanly, like, would everyone have form of simply saved their lanes and would he have been tackled?
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Home of Representatives (153rd District)/”Josh from Juniata” as a caller to Philly sports activities radio: How did he hold his wits about him? You bought these guys streaking down the sphere able to smash you as laborious as they will, and also you managed to drop the ball, keep calm, decide it up, get your head up after which simply took off. Like, how did he hold his wits about him via all that?
Jackson: Once I go down and get the ball, I simply see, like, an enormous void of their punt crew. And I simply caught my foot within the floor and like a bat out of you-know-what, man, I simply shot proper via that gap. There was a couple of guys I needed to make miss.
Dodge: I dove and I missed him. I believe there is a image of me, like, with all of the rubber pellets capturing up in my mouth and stuff.
Jason Avant, Eagles receiver/punt return crew (in 2023 podcast): I could not get to the punt block, however I noticed him drop the ball. And as quickly as he dropped the ball, Omar Gaither knocks down three dudes with one block. So, DeSean hits that gap and I see one dude left, and it is me and the snapper.
Jackson: [Long-snapper Zak DeOssie] was, like, the final line of protection, after which Jason Avant simply got here and de-cleated the man.
Zak DeOssie, Giants long-snapper: I assumed I had a fantastic angle, thought I used to be going to cease him, however I haven’t got eyes behind my head. I received there and received blindsided, received me within the aspect of the helmet fairly good. I could not transfer after that.
Avant: I attempted to go in with good method, however I used to be so excited I went in excessive and knocked each of us out. Worst method ever, nevertheless it was the game-winning block. I am going to take it.
After bursting into the clear, Jackson broke off and ran parallel to the objective line for a number of steps — as if to increase the play a bit longer — earlier than finishing his 65-yard game-winning return and firing the ball up into the stands.
Bryant (in 2019): Holy s—! Ridiculous.
Jackson: I used to be simply holding the ball up and form of showboating on the finish, simply ensuring the time ran out.
Papa: I did say one thing [on the broadcast] about rubbing it in as he was operating alongside the 1-yard line. Older DeSean Jackson might inform you that he was doing it to complete out the clock, however if you happen to return in time to that DeSean Jackson, my guess is he was additionally making each Giants fan really feel the knife twist much more.
Jackson: I remorse throwing that soccer within the stands. I all the time ask folks, man, if anyone received that ball, I’d like to get it again.
Dodge: I’d say it was extra shock. Not concern or something, nevertheless it’s form of like if somebody’s been in a automotive accident and so they stroll out of it and so they’re like, “What the hell simply occurred?” That is the way it felt. I instantly received up, ran straight to Coach Coughlin. You understand, if you are going to get your ass chewed, you would possibly as nicely get it out of the best way early.
Jackson: I seen [Coughlin] throw his playcall sheet down. He threw his headset down. Got here on the sphere and possibly stubborn out Matt Dodge. He was horrifying. He was pissed off.
Dodge: There’s not a lot he can say at that time. It is not, like, “All proper, subsequent time be sure to get it out of bounds.” I imply, there was no subsequent time.
Reid: My coronary heart’s a little bit weaker after this one.
Jackson: I keep in mind [hearing that] Kobe Bryant was watching it, I believe, on his cellphone and he was, like, mesmerized about that punt return. I could not imagine Kobe Bryant was speaking about DeSean Jackson.
Bryant (in 2019): Finest. Bus journey. Ever.
Half 3: The aftermath
To his credit score, Dodge confronted as much as all of the laborious questions after the sport, blaming no person however himself. The New York media was cruel, however with Christmas solely every week away, Dodge had household and buddies on the town to see the sport, that means that he did not return to an empty condo as soon as he completed on the stadium.
Dodge: I used to be in a nasty place, you realize? Simply form of pissed on the world. However I keep in mind they jumped within the automotive with me. And in order that night time was truly among the finest nights ever. We opened items. I used to be in a bizarre head house ‘trigger a part of me wished to go flip emo actual fast in my room, you realize? However the different half was like, I received folks that have traveled right here which can be excited. They have not even talked in regards to the recreation. They’re like, “Man, pizza’s right here, let’s get some pizza.” So, it was a bizarre form of dichotomy, I assume you possibly can say.
Dodge spent that night together with his friends, not on his cellphone, which was very a lot factor. Demise threats, insults and every kind of vitriol have been directed at him on Twitter and different social platforms, although not all of the hate truly reached its supposed goal.
Matt Dodge, journalist, Portland (Maine) Solar: I used to be fairly freshly out of school. I used to be going to numerous reveals, writing about numerous native tradition, arts and stuff like that. [A friend] just about pressured me to get on Twitter. Everybody was into FourSquare and I by no means received into that, however Twitter, he was like, “Pay attention, you have to do it,” and I used to be very energetic on it. And since I used to be adopting it so early, I used to be capable of land that deal with: @MattDodge.
Matt Dodge, punter: That was a troublesome night time to have that identify.
Matt Dodge, journalist: I believe I had the BlackBerry nonetheless. I simply keep in mind I am, like, sitting in my room and my cellphone begins buzzing with notifications, identical to a flurry of notifications coming in. And, you realize, I assumed there had been some emergency, like a bunch of buddies have been texting me about one thing, and I am going to drag it up and it is simply, you realize, extra mentions on Twitter in the midst of 4 minutes than I would had within the 18 months I had been on Twitter earlier than that, principally. So I knew one thing was up and fairly rapidly managed to determine what was occurring.
Matt Dodge, punter: I used to be telling folks, “No, that really is him! He is mendacity! He is scared!” (Laughs.)
Dodge the journalist wrote a humorous essay for The Axe titled, “An Open Letter to Matt Dodge (From Matt Dodge)” by which he referred to as out among the extra printable feedback he obtained, together with one from a consumer who mentioned he was organizing a “lynching mob” and one other who mentioned Dodge higher “go into witness safety” instantly. Dodge the journalist additionally supplied to promote Dodge the punter his Twitter deal with for “a good value.”
Matt Dodge, punter: I learn the piece — it was good. You learn the way widespread a reputation Matt Dodge is, apparently.
Matt Dodge, journalist: On a critical word, I do notice there’s, like, an actual particular person on the opposite finish of this. And my coronary heart goes out to the person. I can’t think about having such a career-imploding second on such a public stage like that.
Dodge the punter wasn’t minimize instantly; he kicked within the remaining two video games because the Giants missed the playoffs, then was waived throughout coaching camp forward of the 2011 season. Dodge remembers then-GM Jerry Reese telling him, “We’re most likely going to be taking part in [against] you for years to return” within the strategy of releasing him, and whereas Dodge did go on to have quite a few tryouts with different groups, none signed him. Dodge’s rookie season was his just one within the NFL.
Dodge: It is such as you dated a supermodel, like, the most popular chick ever for a summer time, after which she broke up with you. After which everybody you discuss to is like, “Man, what was she like? She’s lovely.” And he or she’s solely getting hotter and warmer, however now she’s not with you anymore, however that is nonetheless what you are identified for.
Jackson: It was the top of his soccer profession, man. It is simply unlucky that one play might, you realize, decide your profession.
Papa: I assume that entire factor most likely scarred him, and it most likely made groups nervous. This man was instructed to kick the ball out of bounds, and as an alternative he shanks it down the center. Like, “Can we ever actually belief this man?”
Dodge: I do know to the surface trying in, that is how I am remembered. That is not going away. And as I’ve gotten older, you realize, I used to curse it, I would be pissed. However I’ve made peace with it.
Dodge moved again residence to japanese North Carolina and has labored for years as a monetary planner — most not too long ago, in an odd twist, for a corporation named Market Avenue Wealth Administration, which is predicated exterior Philadelphia. Jackson performed 12 extra years within the NFL, retiring in 2022. He’s now the coach of Delaware State, an FCS program crammed with gamers from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — a lot of whom keep in mind watching him pull off a sure play on tv.
Jackson: They all the time discuss it. They ask, “Coach, why did you run alongside the objective line?” Certainly one of my gamers truly did it this previous week when he scored a landing. He was like, “Coach, I studied!”
Dodge: We even have an workplace up West Chester, Pa., which is Philly territory. It is simply Eagles in all places. And you realize, I form of discovered myself rooting for the Eagles a little bit bit. I am assembly with purchasers which can be all Eagles followers, and so they’re normally extra prone to make investments after they’re joyful.
Jackson: There’s nowhere I am going the place folks do not say, “Oh, the punt return in opposition to the New York Giants!” I get essentially the most suggestions from that punt return.
Shapiro: Six months in the past or so, I noticed DeSean on the NFC Championship Recreation and we have been chatting in regards to the Miracle on the Meadowlands. It goes down in Eagles lore. Anytime you are beating the Cowboys or the Giants, there’s one thing particular about it.
Dodge: A punter that they keep in mind? It is not normally for factor. But it surely taught me one thing: That was, primarily, a very dangerous day at work. It simply occurred to have 80,000 folks watching, untold tens of millions watching on TV, to not point out the clip getting tens of millions and tens of millions of views. So, if I could make it via that and I did not spontaneously combust or get shot and killed, I imply, I am most likely going to be fantastic, proper? Yeah, I am most likely going to be fantastic.
Some interviews have been frivolously edited for readability. Titles and descriptors are based mostly on an individual’s place on the time of the sport in 2010.