'The Play' and its key players from college football's most incredible finish
Gary Tyrrell, shown in September 2021 during a filming of "Eli's Places" for ESPN+, was the Stanford trombone player who was knocked over in the end zone by Cal's Kevin Moen at the end of "The Play." Credit: Gary Tyrrell
THE LINEUP
Some of the key players in “The Play” during 1982’s “Big Game,” the oldest college football rivalry in the West:.
JOE KAPP. The Cal coach was a Cal quarterback who led the Beras to their last Rose Bowl appearance in 1959. He was 2-1 against Stanford as coach. Kapp also led the Minnesota Vikings to a Super Bowl IV appearance. He is the only quarterback to play in a Rose Bowl, Super Bowl and Grey Cup.
KEVIN MOEN, RICHARD RODGERS. The Cal defensive backs were instrumental in the Bears’ walk-off win. Both played option quarterback in high school, and that came into play on “The Play.” Moen received the kickoff, made the first lateral and scored the winning touchdown. Rodgers received the first and third laterals and made the second and fourth laterals. He was the player who found open space to set up the winning jaunt down the sideline. Today, Moen works in real estate in the Los Angeles area and Rodgers is an assistant defensive backs coach on college teammate Ron Rivera’s staff with the Washington Commanders. Rodgers’ son, Richard Rodgers II, was involved in a dramatic finish himself, catching a 61-yard Hail Mary pass from Aaron Rodgers in the Packers’ “Miracle in Motown” win over the Lions in 2015.
GARY TYRRELL. College football’s most famous trombone player hasn’t performed publicly since the 2000 Tournament of Roses Parade when Stanford made the Rose Bowl. “I got the band to invite me to march in the parade,” Tyrrell said. “Keith Jackson even gave me a shout-out during the broadcast.”
THE AXE. The Stanford Axe is the traveling trophy presented to each year’s winner, a tradition that started in 1933. Tyrrell said that every year after 1982, whenever the axe is on display at Stanford, the plaque scoreline for the 1982 Big Game is changed from 25-20 Cal to 20-19 Stanford.
Joe Manniello, an editor on the sports copy desk, has written the NFL picks column since 2015. Manniello joined Newsday in 2004. He graduated from St. John's.
