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Sports talk just isn't the same anymore. Every Saturday The Special Teams Podcast changes the narrative to give you an authentic, comedic, and sometimes asinine take on the biggest sports headlines.
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The sports landscape is filled with legendary teams and their accomplishments that we still currently talk about, reference and compare to the present. Special Teams takes a look at these squads as we help relive their victories, losses and controversies that have marked their place in history. You’ll get unique storytelling, strong opinions and heavy doses of fun. Fox Sports hosts Jason Smith and Mike Harmon work through the backstories, build-ups and breakdowns of these (in)famous squads u ...
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Weird. The best way to describe the journey of the 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers, who played without their Hall of Fame Quarterback until he got healthy just in time for one last game, and one last moment of glory. Terry Bradshaw's elbow betrayed him the final few years of his career, but he had one last shining moment before hanging up his cleats. How …
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We talk about 'bests' all the time. But how about what was probably the worst defense in a single season in NFL history? The numbers you will hear are absolutely stunning. Almost as stunning as the fact that things got so bad for the 1981 Baltimore Colts, the owner got so fed up he went to the booth to call plays during one game. Yep. It happened. …
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What would happen if fans threw snowballs on the field during a football game? Well, now you'll be able to find out. This week on Special Teams we look back at three of the biggest football games in history that were affected by those special spheres of winter fun. Snowballs ruined a field goal that could've won a game between the 49ers and Broncos…
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The AFC Championship game for the 1982 season between the Jets and the Dolphins is known more for it's weather than it's play on the field. "The Mud Bowl" was a shocking display of offensive ineptitude on a field better suited to swim in than play football on. The game has been shrouded in conspiracy theories for nearly 40 years, and it will probab…
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The Dolphins and Patriots met under frozen and snowy circumstances late in the 1982 season in a game immortalized due to a snowplow. Yes, you may know the story of Mark Henderson, who cleared a path for the Patriots field goal to beat Miami. But how about the Dolphins almost winning the game after the plow's appearance by doing the impossible? Don …
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On January 10th, 1981, the Bengals hosted the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game - a contest that would go down as the coldest football game in NFL history, with temperatures reaching -39 degrees Fahrenheit (with wind chill). Hear all the crazy stories that came out of this game, (which included burnt referees) as players still feel the effects …
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The Miracle Bowl. Without a doubt, the 1980 Holiday Bowl is one of the top three college football bowl games of the past 40 years. Eric Dickerson and Craig James, the 'Pony Express' of SMU, owned the first 56 minutes. And then Jim McMahon led BYU on a once-in-a-lifetime comeback, complete with a touchdown that probably shouldn't have counted, a Hai…
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The Buccaneers-Rams battle for the Super Bowl is one of the most underrated playoff games of the past 30 years. Strength against strength: The Rams Greatest Show on Turf offense never met a defense that stifled it as much as the Buccaneers did this day. It was shocking, nail-biting, and it came down to the Rams offense making their only play of the…
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No one knew how MLB would return from the strike year of 1994. Well, it actually involved the most recently forfeited game in baseball history, the passing of the game's biggest legend, one player stepping up to bring the sport all the way back from the brink, something we hadn't seen in over 100 years, and a post-season we had NEVER seen. And it a…
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Special Preview: Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre - The Legend of Luka, Clippers Are Crumbling & Ric Bucher
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On today's episode, Jason explains why he believes Luka Doncic's 43 point, 17 rebound, 13 assist performance in the Dallas Mavericks' Game 4 win over the Los Angeles Clippers will go down in history as one of the seminal individual playoff performances of the last 40 years, tells us why 'Playoff P' Paul George could be one of the worst postseason p…
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1991 Lions & Browns. 1991 was simply the best year in the history of the Lions franchise, as they accomplished things they hadn't done before (or since). Overcoming injuries and tragedy, they finished one painful step short of the Super Bowl. Meanwhile for the Browns, it was the first year in the head coaching career of Bill Belichick. As you'll he…
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This may have been the best AFC Championship game of the past 30 years. In 1996, the solid-but-unspectacular Colts nearly upset the Steelers in a game that had it all: Controversial officiating, unlikely heroes (Willie Williams? Ernie Mills?), and a last-gasp play that stopped hearts across the NFL. We spotlight players like budding superstar Korde…
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The Broncos were headed to the Super Bowl. The Jaguars were the fun new kid on the block. It wasn't supposed to be a fair fight. But after ending the Bills careers of Jim Kelly & Marv Levy, the Jaguars shocked the football world behind QB Mark Brunell as they derailed Denver's championship run. How did they do it - and why didn't the Jaguars turn i…
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The 2009 Tigers-Twins AL Central Tie-Breaker: Fernando Rodney Is Still Waiting For Jim Leyland To Come Get Him From The Mound
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Two years after the Padres & Rockies extra-inning Game #163 thriller, the Tigers and Twins went at it in a tie-breaking game to decide the American League Central title. A tight-battle became a 12-inning roller-coaster in the blink of an eye. When is a hit-by-pitch that could’ve won the game not a hit-by-pitch despite evidence to the contrary? Just…
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In 2007 the Padres & Rockies engaged in a game for the ages, as after 162 games the two teams were tied for the National League Wild Card. A tie-breaking contest raged into 13 innings of punch-counter punch - and still, 13 years later, the winning run never touched home plate. How did that happen - and how did Jason turn into the person who broke t…
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The last time the Browns were in the playoffs was so long ago, there had only been one Spider-Man movie. But oh what a game it was. The 2003 post-season thriller between the Steelers and Browns had it all: Backup QB’s ascending to glory and then quickly flaming back out, a potential hero who saw his fame turn on one dropped pass, and had the Browns…
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Sometimes NFL games are so famous they get a name. Hence why the 2016 playoff classic between the Seahawks and the Vikings is known as the Blair Walsh Game. The stunning miss on the short field goal gave an unexpected win to Seattle, and began an epic odyssey for Minnesota. The game featured a boss move by an 88-year old former head coach, a broken…
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Nearly a decade after instant icon Tim Tebow’s fifteen minutes of NFL fame, we look back at the playoff victory he piloted the Broncos to in one of the most memorable NFL games of the new millennium. Winning an overtime thriller against the Steelers could’ve been the springboard to NFL super-stardom - instead it was the last big moment of his caree…
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The Rams Greatest Show on Turf thrilled and excited football fans everywhere at the turn of the 21st century, as their offense was like nothing we had seen in the NFL in years. But like everything else in life, it had to come to an end. But, whew - how it did so is worthy of it’s own five-act play. A season of seismic change at QB for the Rams culm…
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Dan Marino and the Fake Spike Game. It sounds like a Harry Potter title, but it’s one of the most iconic moments in NFL history. This week we look at the Special Teams involved in the 1994 mid-season NFL classic. The Jets get more criticism than they deserve for this play, and the promising head coaching career of Pete Carroll took a huge detour du…
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A week before Scott Norwood’s right foot took center stage in 1991, the Giants and 49ers played an NFC Championship game for the ages. The Giants relied on a hard hit, a fake punt and a fumble to advance to the Super Bowl, while for San Francisco, it turned out to be the last game Joe Montana would ever start for them. One play in this game changed…
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Say “4th and 26” and NFL fans shake their heads at one of the most improbable plays in NFL history. The play that made Freddie Mitchell a cult hero, which subsequently - and unfortunately - put the rest of his career in the spotlight. The play that cost Brett Favre a chance at another Super Bowl - even though Favre contributed to the loss in overti…
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This week Special Teams takes a fresh look back at one of the most famous plays in NFL history: The Music City Miracle. While you think you know the play that sent the Titans to victory, we’ll look at it from the other side - and the questionable strategy from the Bills that went into allowing it to happen. We have bad time outs, an illogical QB de…
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In the annals of sports history, everyone has their favorite uniform combination for both their favorite team and others they admire for their sharp look. In this episode, we rank our favorite MLB and NFL uniforms both of the present and all-time, plus the worst of what teams put out there in an attempt for style. (Two words: Shorts & Hiliters.) An…
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In part two of our look back at when sports stopped, we take you through the last two times an NFL season was interrupted due to owner/player disagreements. The 1982 NFL Strike caused a complete reconfiguration of the playoffs, the crazy ways networks filled programming time without football, and the special teams we saw qualify for the post-season…
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In getting along without live sports, we look back at the last two times we had to get along without baseball, and how some Special Teams emerged. You won’t believe the details in how MLB decided to play out the season in 1981 after having it interrupted due to a player’s strike. (First-half champions? Second half-champions? Possible second-half se…
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To have a winless NFL season is the worst of football events for a team and its fans, as winning just one game brings all sorts of relief. But sometimes even those one-win campaigns were just as bad as the zeroes - for all sorts of crazy reasons. This week, we’ll look back at three special 1-15’ers: The last year of the Ryan Leaf era in San Diego, …
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No college football season in modern history was as insane as 2007. Virtually every team who was ranked second in the country ended up losing their perch and a chance at the national championship. This week, we’ll look back at four of those teams who came oh-so-close before succumbing to upsets in the most spectacular manner. Adding to it is that n…
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This week, it’s the second part of our look back at what some special teams did in the NFL Draft. We’ll revisit just how Jerry Rice landed in the laps of the 49ers - a lot of it had to do with a sleepy head coach and the Jets being the Jets. No one in NFL history can match the Cowboys three-year run of first-round picks from 1988-90 - despite doing…
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NFL Draft Special Teams - Part I. The Colts trade Elway, the Bengals turn down the Saints, and the Packers luck into Aaron Rodgers
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NFL teams who win - or lose - nearly always have to do special things in the NFL Draft to stand out. This week, it’s Part I of our look back at the squads who did what they had to do - or didn’t do - to get there. You know about the famous John Elway trade following the 1983 draft - but there’s all kinds of dramatic twists and turns (especially fro…
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This week we take a look back at the last World Series title for the New York Yankees. 2009 began with off-season fireworks and huge changes for the team, which were then dwarfed by the shocking Alex Rodriguez revelations. How close was Joe Girardi to being fired before he even got started? How unlikely was A-Rod’s redemption story? And what former…
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In our second installment of March Cinderellas, this week we look back at three teams whose NCAA tournament runs were not only unexpected, but full of star power and trend-setting. The 1987 Providence Friars were led by head coach Rick Pitino and senior point guard Billy Donovan, well before either of them started winning NCAA titles behind the ben…
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We continue our special month of college hoops ‘Special Teams’ with the first of two shows spotlighting some of the great Cinderella teams of all time. In 1986, David Robinson led Navy all the way to the Elite Eight as the Admiral became a mythic figure in college basketball. Before becoming a yearly power, Gonzaga hit the radar screen in 1999 with…
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After years of living in the shadow of John Wooden’s dynasty, UCLA returned to glory with their first national championship in twenty years by beating Arkansas in 1995. The Bruins needed one of the greatest buzzer-beaters in NCAA history - that was aided by a critical mistake - the surprise help of two freshmen, and the leadership of Ed O’Bannon, w…
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To kick off the Madness of March, on Special Teams we look back at the last Duke team to win the national championship. Possibly one of the most unexpected titles of Coach K’s career, it came with a questionable coaching decision that nearly cost the Blue Devils the title against the ultimate Cinderella Butler Bulldogs. Learn more about your ad-cho…
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KD. Russ. The Beard. The Oklahoma City Thunder of this century’s second decade looked like they would be the dominant team in the NBA for years, but failed to win it all despite the massive talent of their big three. In this episode of ‘Special Teams,’ we look back at the year the Thunder came the closest to winning it all as they ascended to a leg…
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Imagine a world where the New York Knicks not only were a threat, but they were positioned to be great for years to come. In 1999, smart trades (!) helped fortify a team for an NBA Finals run that no one saw coming. Full of big personalities and historic moments, New York went from the barely-qualifying 8th seed in the East all the way to the game’…
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There was no roller-coaster ride more fun than the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, who went as far - and fell as suddenly - as Brett Favre's arm would carry them. The entire world expected a Super Bowl, but what we got was potentially more entertaining - and controversial. And yeah, the NFL completely changed a huge rule because of Favre and the Vikings. T…
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The last ‘Special Team’ the Los Angeles Lakers had was in 2009-2010, when Kobe Bryant led them to their most recent championship - in thrilling fashion over the Boston Celtics. This week, we look back at the final title on Kobe’s resume. Yes, the Lakers had to overcome injuries and get surprising clutch production from improbable places in order to…
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By 1993, the world had seen the Bills play in four straight Super Bowls, winning none. Despite the lack of a signature win, their place in NFL history is secure. In this episode, we re-live the last of their Super Bowl seasons - and defeats. You'll learn plenty of new things about one of the most legendary 'losing' teams in sports history. Why coul…
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For every person who wants to tell you how great the '85 Bears defense was, you can respond with the excellence of the 2000 Ravens. Did anyone see this coming? Especially considering how the season began under a cloud of tragedy and legal issues for the team's best player? To say it was rocky is an understatement. But when the games started, the Ra…
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Before he turned into the baseball-playing-reality-show-hosting-former-NFL-quarterback, Tim Tebow officially became an icon by leading the 2008 Florida Gators to the national championship. How did it happen? It had to do with a big loss, a bigger speech, a bloody jersey, and revenge over losing out on the Heisman Trophy. And after it was all over, …
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Some called it the greatest college football game they’d ever seen. There wasn’t anything else in the world like the Ohio State-Miami Fiesta Bowl to decide the national champion of the 2002 season. Twists, turns, injury, drama and controversy dotted a spectacular close to a season in which the Buckeyes shocked the world. From a freshman tailback wh…
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Is the current college football playoff perfect? Not remotely. But it’s a far cry from 1991, when not one, but two incredibly talented teams split the national championship due to the voting process that used to determine the national champion. Re-live the craziness, which featured a dominant year from the Miami Hurricanes - the bad boys of college…
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Happy Holidays from Special Teams! This week, we play with our format a bit and take a look at some of the "special teams" who have had incredible performances on Christmas Day! You’ll find out why 12/25 was a controversial day in the NFL for so long, we'll re-live two incredible NBA games - between the same teams and just a few years apart - befor…
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While it was their later teams who won championships, the 2010-11 Miami Heat was the squad who changed basketball forever. We take you back to The Decision and its effects on both the NBA and LeBron James nearly a decade later. The league’s first modern day traveling rock show had it all: a polarizing team not ready for the backlash they received, …
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The 2005 Texas Longhorns blew the doors off of their opponents under Vince Young, the most exciting quarterback in college football. Lighting up the scoreboard throughout the season, it was destiny for Young to face off against the USC Trojans twice: once for the Heisman Trophy, and once for the National Championship. Many call the Longhorns win ov…
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The 1997 Michigan Wolverines entered the season with high hopes - and one of the best defenses in the history of college football. Along the way to their first national title in 50 years, Tom Brady was beaten out for the starting quarterback job, Charles Woodson made Heisman Trophy history, and the Wolverines won a thriller for the championship ove…
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The 1996 Green Bay Packers had one of the most dominant football teams in history in all three phases of the game. Their Super Bowl triumph started the legend of Brett Favre, and an unheralded Heisman Trophy winner who barely made the team became an unlikely hero. An anticipated showdown with a bitter rival never materialized - probably for the Pac…
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The 2013 Seattle Seahawks staked a claim to ‘greatest defense of all-time,’ with a huge share of adventure along the way. It was Russell Wilson becoming a super-star and Richard Sherman polarizing a nation - because of an interview. It was the most glorious time for Seahawks-49ers, the best rivalry the NFL had seen in a decade. And in true Seahawks…
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