Hail Larry

Hail Larry was a National Football League (NFL) Divisional playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals on January 16, 2016. The game, which was contested at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, became notable after its dramatic conclusion in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Packers made the playoffs as a Wild Card team, beating the Washington Redskins 35–18 in the first round. The Cardinals won the NFC West division, and thus were given homefield advantage against the Packers, who they were hosting in the Divisional round. The game went back-and-forth, with the Cardinals kicking a field goal with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter to take a 7-point lead. The Packers regained possession but faced a fourth down with 20 yards to go after two incompletions and a sack. On fourth down, Aaron Rodgers completed a 60-yard pass to Jeff Janis for the first down. After running two plays, the game clock was down to five seconds; Rodgers snapped the ball, rolled to his left and threw a Hail Mary pass into the end zone, which was caught again by Janis for a game-tying touchdown.

The coin toss to determine possession of the ball to start overtime had to be redone because it did not flip in the air. The Cardinals ultimately won the coin toss and started with the ball. On the first play, Carson Palmer evaded a sack and threw a short pass across the field to Larry Fitzgerald, who ran the ball to the five-yard line for a 75-yard gain. The next play was an incompletion; on second down Palmer flipped a shovel pass to Fitzgerald who dove into the end zone for a walk-off touchdown. The Cardinals advanced to the 2015 NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Carolina Panthers. The game was described as one of the most thrilling playoff games in NFL history. Rodgers' Hail Mary was the second one he completed during the 2015 season, after the Miracle in Motown game. The next day, the Arizona Republic printed a full page spread titled "Hail Larry" in recognition of Fitzgerald's performance, while also referencing Rodgers' earlier completion. Rodgers' Hail Mary and Fitzgerald's overtime catch were recognized as two of the greatest plays in NFL history, while the overall game was also recognized as one of the greatest games in league history.