25-Year Phiniversary: Cowboys "Lett" Dolphins Escape

Associated Press

It was a snowy Thanksgiving Day in Dallas on Nov. 25, 1993 when the Miami Dolphins became the beneficiaries of one of the biggest gaffes in NFL history.

The Dolphins trailed the Dallas Cowboys 14-13 in the waning seconds as Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich trotted onto the field to attempt a 41-yard field goal to win the game. Unfortunately for Stoyanovich, that kick was blocked and the ball rolled toward the goal line.

The block had seemingly sealed the game for Dallas, but rather than allow the ball to roll dead, defensive lineman Leon Lett tried to recover the ball. Lett slid into the football and Miami recovered, ultimately giving it another shot at a field goal.

As time expired, Stoyanovich connected from 19 yards out to give the Dolphins an improbable 16-14 win. With the victory, Miami improved to 9-2. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, that would be their last win of the year as they lost their final five games and missed the playoffs. The Cowboys would go on to win a second straight Super Bowl.

Miami got the scoring started with a 77-yard touchdown run by fullback Keith Byars. The Cowboys led 14-7 at the break thanks to a pair of Kevin Williams' touchdowns -- one on a 4-yard pass from Troy Aikman and the other on a 64-yard punt return. Stoyanovich connected on field goals of 20 and 31 yards in the second half before hitting the game-winner.

As for Lett, he first became notorious for his gaffes after getting stripped by Buffalo Bills' wide receiver Don Beebe while strolling into the end zone in a 52-17 Dallas win in Super Bowl XXVII. That miscue would cost the Cowboys only the Super Bowl scoring record and not the game.

With Dan Marino and Scott Mitchell and nursing injuries, it was newly-signed Steve DeBerg who quarterbacked the Dolphins to victory on that Thanksgiving Day 1993 with 287 yards passing and two interceptions. The Miami defense held Emmett Smith to just 51 yards rushing in the win while linebacker Bryan Cox intercepted Aikman for one of two Dallas turnovers.

A quarter century later however, all that gets remembered is Lett's mistake that allowed Miami to win the contest. That moment happened on this day 25 years ago.  

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Days of Dolphins Past. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.