50 Most Memorable Super Bowl Moments, No. 24: Larry Brown's good fortune
As the NFL approaches its highly anticipated golden anniversary Super Bowl, Yahoo Sports takes a look back at some of the most memorable moments in the game's history.
In our rankings, the moments go beyond the great scores and plays. We also take a look at entertainment performances, scandals/controversies and other events associated with corresponding Super Bowls.
Here's a look at moment No. 24:
Right place, right time
For once, Larry Brown probably didn't mind being the Dallas Cowboys' "other" cornerback.
With Deion Sanders commanding so much notoriety for the lack of attention quarterbacks were paying him, the No. 2 cornerback may have found it less than flattering to be frequently targeted. However, shying away from Sanders to pick on Brown in Super Bowl XXX didn't pay off for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell.
More Most Memorable Super Bowl Moments:
• No. 25 | Nos. 26-30 | Nos. 31-35 | Nos. 36-40
Nos. 41-45 | Nos. 46-50
• NEXT (Jan. 6): No. 23
O'Donnell's first miscalculation occurred with the Steelers trailing 13-7 near midfield in the third quarter. With receivers running from right to left toward the middle of the field, O'Donnell floated a pass straight to Brown, who returned the interception for 44 yards down to Pittsburgh's 18-yard line. Two plays later, Emmitt Smith was in the end zone on a 1-yard run for a 20-7 Dallas lead.
"The ball just slipped out of my hands," O'Donnell said at the time. "It's something that happens."
Or, as Brown and others suggested, there was a miscommunication between O'Donnell and wide receiver Andre Hastings.
"I was on page with the quarterback," Brown said. "The receiver was off page."
Brown's good fortune would continue.
After Pittsburgh scored 10 points to close within 20-17 in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys' corner closed the door on the Steelers becoming 5-0 in Super Bowls.
Again, with Steelers wide receivers nowhere to be found and Brown practically all by himself near the right sideline, O'Donnell was intercepted on second-and-10 from his own 32 inside of five minutes remaining. Brown returned this interception 33 yards to set up another Smith touchdown and helped secure Dallas' fifth Super Bowl title.
His performance capped a strong season, albeit one that didn't result in a Pro Bowl invitation, which included six interceptions with two touchdowns in the regular season. This was in contrast to earlier in his career when he routinely let opportunities slip through his fingers.
"My rookie year, I dropped like nine interceptions," Brown said after earning MVP honors. "And Emmitt named me Edward Scissorhands."
The fortuitous outcome seemingly couldn't come at a better time as Brown entered free agency following the 1995 season. However, he appeared to resent the idea that the Super Bowl performance factored heavily into his upcoming big payday.
"I think in this league, people don't judge you on a game," Brown told the San Francisco Chronicle after signing a five-year, $12.5 million deal with the Raiders in February 1996. "I don't think a game could decide whether you want to play or not.
"I think it's the years that I've played. Have I been injured? No. Have I been starting since my rookie year? [Yes.] All the years, all the achievements, all the experience, I think all that plays into the decision-making. Not just a game. That probably helped, but I think people would have desired [me] without the game, if we didn't make the Super Bowl, if we didn't win it."
Two years into his Raiders' stint, Brown was far from desired around the league. He had just one interception in two seasons with Oakland, and after a return to Dallas, was out of the league having played in a total of 16 games in three years after his glorious evening against the Steelers.
