View source for Tuck Rule Game

{{short description|NFL playoff game}}
{{Use American English|date = February 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox NFL single game
| name = 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff game
| image = Foxborostade.png
| caption = Foxboro Stadium, site of the game
| visitor = [[2001 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]]
| visitor_abbr = OAK
| visitor_coach = [[Jon Gruden]]
| visitor_place = 3
| visitor_record = 10–6
| home = [[2001 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]
| home_abbr = NE
| home_coach = [[Bill Belichick]]
| home_place = 2
| home_record = 11–5
| visitor_qtr1 = 0
| visitor_qtr2 = 7
| visitor_qtr3 = 6
| visitor_qtr4 = 0
| visitor_qtr5 = 0
| visitor_total = 13
| home_qtr1 = 0
| home_qtr2 = 0
| home_qtr3 = 3
| home_qtr4 = 10
| home_qtr5 = 3
| home_total = 16
| date = January 19, 2002
| stadium = [[Foxboro Stadium]]
| city = [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
| referee = [[Walt Coleman]]
| HOFers = '''Raiders:''' [[Al Davis]] (owner), [[Fred Biletnikoff]]‡ (assistant coach), [[Willie Brown (American football)|Willie Brown]]‡ (assistant coach), [[Tim Brown (American football)|Tim Brown]], [[Jerry Rice]], [[Charles Woodson]]<br />'''Patriots:''' [[Andre Tippett]]‡ (scout), [[Ty Law]], [[Richard Seymour]]<br />{{small|‡ elected as a player.}}
| attendance = 60,292
| odds = Patriots by 3<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsoddshistory.com/nfl-playoffs/?o=s&fv=&hv=&fd=&chv=&cfd=&ou=&rd=Div |website=Sports Odds History}}</ref>
| network = [[NFL on CBS|CBS]]
| announcers = [[Greg Gumbel]] and [[Phil Simms]]
}}

The '''2001 AFC Divisional Playoff game''', also known as the '''Tuck Rule Game''' or the '''Snow Bowl''',<ref name="SI review">{{cite magazine|last=Silver|first=Michael|date=February 4, 2005|title=The five most significant plays in recent NFL history|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/michael_silver/02/04/five.plays/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206032624/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/michael_silver/02/04/five.plays/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 6, 2005|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=September 19, 2007}}</ref><ref name="TRIB: Total Media review">{{cite web|last=Ross Jr. |first=Sam |date=January 23, 2003 |title=After further review, coaches worth it |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_114010.html |access-date=September 19, 2007 |publisher=TRIB: Total Media |work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211080157/http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_114010.html |archive-date=December 11, 2007 }}</ref> and sometimes referred to as '''Snow Bowl 2''', was a [[National Football League]] (NFL) [[NFL playoffs|playoff]] game between the [[2001 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]] and the [[2001 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]]. Part of the second round of the [[2001–02 NFL playoffs]], the game was played on January 19, 2002 at [[Foxboro Stadium]] in [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]], at the time the Patriots' home stadium, and was the last game ever played at the stadium. There was a heavy [[snow|snowfall]] during the game.

The name '''Tuck Rule Game''' originates from the controversial play that changed the course of the game. In the fourth quarter, Raiders' [[cornerback]] [[Charles Woodson]] tackled Patriots' [[quarterback]] [[Tom Brady]], causing what game officials initially ruled to be a [[fumble]] that was recovered by Raiders' [[linebacker]] [[Greg Biekert]]. However, upon [[Replay review in American and Canadian football|review of the play]], officials eventually determined that even though Brady had seemingly halted his passing motion and was attempting to "tuck" the ball back into his body, it was an [[incomplete pass]] and not a fumble under the then-effective NFL rules. As a result, the original call was overturned; had it stood, the play would have sealed a victory for the Raiders. The ball was instead given back to the Patriots, who subsequently moved it into [[field goal]] range. With under a minute remaining in regulation time, Patriots' [[placekicker]] [[Adam Vinatieri]] kicked a 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 13, sending the game into [[Overtime (sports)|overtime]]. In the overtime, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal to win the game for the Patriots. New England went on to win [[Super Bowl XXXVI]], beginning a [[Brady–Belichick era|run of championships]] with Brady and head coach [[Bill Belichick]], appearing in nine [[Super Bowl|Super Bowls]] and winning six.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swartz |first=Bryn |title=The NFL's 10 Greatest Postseason Games of the 2000s |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/325832-the-10-greatest-postseason-games-of-the-2000s |access-date=2022-06-26 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Akelson |first=Michael |title=Top 10 NFL Games of the 21st Century |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/307703-top-10-nfl-games-of-the-21st-century |access-date=2022-06-26 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> Due to the game's controversial call, dramatic overtime finish, and significance in kickstarting the Patriots' dynasty, it is regarded as one of the most famous and consequential games in league history and as an important part of NFL lore.

==Background==

The Tuck Rule Game was played as part of the [[2001–02 NFL playoffs]], which would crown the NFL champion for the [[2001 NFL season|2001 season]]. Under the playoff structure in place at the time, six teams from each of the NFL's two conferences – the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] and [[National Football Conference|NFC]] – qualified for the playoffs. These six teams would consist of the champions of each of the three divisions of each conference (the East, Central, and West), plus three [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] teams, which were the three teams who finished with the best win–loss record in each conference who were not division champions. These six teams would be seeded 1–6 based on win–loss record for purposes of playoff bracketing, with the three division champions seeded 1–3 and the three wild card qualifiers seeded 4–6. 

The playoff system stipulated that the top two division winners in each conference would receive a [[bye (sports)|first-round bye]] into the second round of the playoffs (the divisional playoff), while the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-ranked teams would play in the first round of the playoffs (the wild card playoff), with the #3 seed playing the #6 seed and the #4 seed squaring off against the #5 seed. The victors of the wild card playoff games would then face the top two seeds in the divisional playoff, with the #1 seed facing the lowest-surviving seed from the wild card playoff and the #2 seed pairing off against the other wild card playoff winner.

The [[AFC East]] champion Patriots were the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs, having posted an 11–5 win–loss record during the 2001 season. Although the [[2001 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]] had also compiled an 11–5 record during the regular season, New England was awarded the division title and first-round bye as the #2 seed due to having a better division record than Miami (6–2 compared to the Dolphins' 5–3); the Dolphins instead qualified for the playoffs as a wild card team and the #4 seed. The season had been wild for the Patriots, who began the year 0–2 after veteran quarterback [[Drew Bledsoe]] suffered a sheared [[blood vessel]] in his chest<ref name=Scout>{{cite web|last1=Bump|first1=Lary|title=Bledsoe's near-death experience|url=http://www.scout.com/nfl/bills/story/73038-bledsoe-s-near-death-experience|website=Scout.com|access-date=27 November 2015|ref=Scout}}</ref> in the Week 2 game against the [[2001 New York Jets season|New York Jets]]. Backup quarterback Tom Brady then led the offense to a playoff berth. As the #2 seed, the Patriots earned a bye into the divisional playoff. 

The Raiders had clinched the [[AFC West]] division title with a 10–6 regular-season record and qualified as the #3 seed in the AFC playoffs. As such, they played the Jets (a #6 seeded wild-card team) in an AFC wild-card playoff game on January 12 at [[Oakland Coliseum|Network Associates Coliseum]], in which they emerged victorious, 38–24. With the Jets eliminated, the Patriots would face the Raiders in the one divisional playoff game and the [[2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]] would face the winner of [[2001 Baltimore Ravens season|Baltimore Ravens]], the #5 seed, and the #4 seeded [[2001 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]] as the lowest-remaining seed. The Ravens beat the Dolphins 20–3 in the other wild-card playoff game.

==The game==

Both teams struggled in the heavy snowstorm during the first half, combining for the same number of punts as first downs (11) and converting only one of 13 third downs. Nonetheless, Raiders quarterback [[Rich Gannon]] completed 10 of 14 passes for 87 yards. With 1:12 left in the first quarter, a 15-yard fair-catch interference penalty against Patriots defensive back [[Je'Rod Cherry]] at the end of [[Ken Walter]]'s 39-yard punt gave Oakland a first down at midfield, where they drove to a 7–0 lead on Gannon's 13-yard touchdown pass to [[James Jett]]. A few plays later, Raiders defensive back [[Johnnie Harris (American football)|Johnnie Harris]] intercepted a pass from Brady on the Patriots 41-yard line, but New England's defense managed to force a punt, which would be the final result of every following drive from either team until the end of the half.

In the second half, New England almost completely abandoned its running game and relied on Brady's passing. On the opening drive of the third quarter, he connected with [[David Patten]] for gains of 25 and 19 yards as he led the Patriots 62 yards in 12 plays to the Raiders' 5-yard line, where [[Adam Vinatieri]] made a 23-yard field goal to make it 7–3. [[Terry Kirby]] returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards to the Oakland 37-yard line and the Raiders produced a 10-play, 43-yard drive to score on a 38-yard field goal from [[Sebastian Janikowski]]. Then, after a 33-yard punt by Walter gave the Raiders a first down on their own 49, a 22-yard reception by receiver [[Jerry Rice]] set up Janikowski's second field goal, from 45 yards, giving the Raiders a 13–3 lead with two minutes left in the third quarter.

The Raiders appeared to be dominating to this point of the game. However, in the fourth quarter, Brady led the Patriots on a 10-play, 67-yard drive, completing nine consecutive passes for 61 yards and finishing it with a 6-yard touchdown run with 7:57 left that made the score 13–10. Later in the quarter, Patriots receiver [[Troy Brown]] returned [[Shane Lechler]]'s 37-yard punt 27 yards to the Patriots 46-yard line. Brown fumbled the ball at the end of the return, but Pats linebacker [[Larry Izzo]] recovered it with 2:06 left on the clock. Brady then completed a seven-yard pass to [[Kevin Faulk]] before scrambling for five yards and running out of bounds to the Patriots' sideline, picking up a first down at the Oakland 42. New England had no timeouts left, but with the clock stopped, Brady here had a short conversation with offensive coordinator [[Charlie Weis]].

==The "tuck rule" play and call==
With 1:50 left, Raiders cornerback [[Eric Allen]], lurking at the Patriots' sideline, heard Brady's talk with Weis. Allen stated that he heard the Patriots' play call; he then rushed to his sideline and told his team what he had heard. While the Patriots were slightly out of field-goal range, Brady dropped back to pass, with no open receivers. While pumping the football, Brady was hit on his right side by blitzing Raiders cornerback [[Charles Woodson]] (his former college teammate at [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]]). While it appeared that Brady had tucked the ball back towards his body, the officials were not sure and ruled it a fumble so they could review the play.

In [[1999 National Football League season|1999]], a new rule had been introduced, which eventually became known as the [[Tuck rule (football)|tuck rule]]:

<blockquote>'''NFL Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2.''' When [an offensive] player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maske|first=Mark|date=October 15, 2005|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101401828.html|title=Tuck Rule Hard to Grasp|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref></blockquote> [[File:Tuck Rule Tackle.png|thumb|right|150px|The tackle that generated controversy]]

After a video-replay review, referee [[Walt Coleman]] reversed the call, declaring the play an incomplete forward-pass and giving possession back to the Patriots.<ref>{{Cite episode |title=The Tuck Rule |series=[[30 for 30]] |network=[[ESPN]] |season=4 |number=20}}</ref> Coleman's announcement stated that the ball was moving forward at the time at which it was dropped. Thus, the original call was overturned, and the Patriots maintained possession.

Because the play was initially ruled a fumble, instant-replay rules required the referee to see "incontrovertible visual evidence" on the replay that Brady had not "tucked the ball into his body and ''then'' {lost} possession" of it before reversing the original call on the field. In 2012, on the ten-year anniversary of the game, Coleman told [[ESPN]] that he did not see Brady lose the ball, and, as NFL referees were trained to do in this situation, ruled it a fumble because that call could be reviewed while an incomplete pass could not. Once he saw a replay, Coleman quickly reversed his previous ruling, telling ESPN it was an "easy" call.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lNI-Uq_fww |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211217/5lNI-Uq_fww |archive-date=2021-12-17 |url-status=live|title=The Tuck Rule – 10 Year Anniversary|date=January 22, 2012|work=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

This was not the first time the Patriots had seen the tuck rule invoked in the 2001 NFL season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Shalise Manza|date=March 20, 2013|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/03/20/nfl-rescinds-tuck-rule/HvKSMTSMVWYDfGVMljdVxN/story.html#skip-target1|title=NFL overwhelmingly kills 'Tuck Rule'|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> On September 23, Patriots defensive end [[Anthony Pleasant]] apparently forced Jets quarterback [[Vinny Testaverde]] to fumble,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200109230nwe.htm|title=New York Jets at New England Patriots - September 23rd, 2001 - Pro-Football-Reference.com|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}</ref> but the call was overturned upon review and ruled an incomplete pass. In the aftermath of the Tuck Rule Game, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick explained, "I knew what the ruling should have been because we had dealt with that play a little bit earlier in the year on the other side of it."<ref>{{cite news|last=Boren|first=Cindy|date=January 11, 2024|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/01/11/bill-belichick-coaching-history-nfl-patriots/|title=The biggest wins and controversies from Bill Belichick's career|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

The Raiders complained extensively that the call was wrong, and that it was made against them because the league had a vendetta against the team, an attitude Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon said was "totally nonsense."<ref>{{cite web|last=Weinreb|first=Michael|url=https://www.theringer.com/2017/1/19/16038422/nfl-playoffs-tuck-rule-oral-history-raiders-patriots-15-years-later-d731b0a6d00e|title=Holy Tuck|website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]|date=January 19, 2017|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> Several Raiders players and observers also said that the Tuck Rule led to head coach [[Jon Gruden]]'s departure from the team, as owner [[Al Davis]] was apparently angry that Gruden did not protest the call vehemently enough. Gruden was dismissive of Davis' views on the matter, and the subsequent breakdown in relations between owner and coach led to Gruden being traded to [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Tampa Bay]] and becoming their head coach in 2002. (Gruden would return to the Raiders in [[2018 Oakland Raiders season|2018]] after spending a stint as a broadcaster with [[ESPN]].)

The tuck rule was abolished on March 20, 2013, by a 29–1 vote of current teams.<ref>{{cite web|last=Yates|first=Field|title=NFL votes to get rid of tuck rule|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4741326/nfl-votes-to-get-rid-of-tuck-rule|date=March 20, 2013|work=ESPN|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> The [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] voted against abolition, while two teams, the Patriots and [[Washington Commanders]], abstained from the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2013 |title='Tuck Rule' eliminated by wide margin at NFL Annual Meeting |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/tuck-rule-eliminated-by-wide-margin-at-nfl-annual-meeting-0ap1000000152253 |access-date=March 22, 2013 |website=NFL.com}}</ref> Patriots owner [[Robert Kraft]] noted, "I know Al Davis, may he rest in peace, is probably smiling."<ref>{{cite web|last=Reiss|first=Mike|title=Robert Kraft discusses tuck rule|url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9067904/new-england-patriots-robert-kraft-tuck-rule-vote-abstain|work=ESPN|date=March 18, 2013|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

==Conclusion of game after the ruling==
After the Patriots maintained possession, Brady completed a 13-yard pass to [[David Patten]] to the Raiders' 29. After two incomplete passes and a Brady scramble, Vinatieri came on to hit a game-tying 45-yard field goal through the snow with just 27 seconds left, a kick considered to have been one of the most difficult kicks in NFL history,<ref name=bestkick>{{cite news |last=Wells|first=Mike |date=October 3, 2018|title=Best kick ever? Blizzard boot started Adam Vinatieri's legacy|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/indianapolis-colts/post/_/id/23592/best-kick-ever-blizzard-boot-started-adam-vinatieris-legacy|work=[[ESPN]]|access-date=January 25, 2022}}</ref> or the most "clutch-kick ever."<ref name=mostclutch>{{cite news |last=Davis|first=Noah |date=September 15, 2015|title=The Toughest Position in Football Is... Kicker?|url=https://www.esquire.com/sports/interviews/a37861/toughest-position-nfl-football-kicker-adam-vinatieri/ |work=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]|access-date=January 25, 2022}}</ref> With seconds left on the clock after the ensuing kickoff, the Raiders decided not to attempt to advance the ball, instead letting it go to overtime.

The Patriots won the toss and took the ball to start overtime. They drove 61 yards in 15 plays, with Brady completing all eight of his pass attempts, for a total of 45 yards. On fourth down and 4 from the Raiders' 28, Brady hit Patten for a six-yard completion. Three plays later, [[Antowain Smith]] picked up eight yards for a first down at the Oakland 9 and the Patriots, now going against the wind, fought to set up the game-winning kick. After Brady dove to the 5 and centered the ball, Vinatieri kicked a 23-yard field goal, giving the Patriots a 16–13 victory and advancing them to the [[AFC Championship Game]].  Brady ended up completing 26 of 39 passes for 238 yards in the second half.

==Statistics==
{{Americanfootballbox
 |titlestyle= {{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|border=2}};text-align:center;
 |state=autocollapse
 |title=2001 AFC Divisional Round: Oakland Raiders at New England Patriots
 |date=January 19, 2002
 |time=8:05 p.m. EST
 |road=Raiders
 |R1=0|R2=7|R3=6|R4=0|R5=0
 |home='''Patriots'''
 |H1=0|H2=0|H3=3|H4=10|H5=3
 |stadium=[[Foxboro Stadium]], [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
 |attendance=60,292
 |weather={{Convert|25|F|C|1|disp=or}}, snow
 |referee=[[Walt Coleman]]
 |TV=[[NFL on CBS|CBS]]
 |TVAnnouncers=[[Greg Gumbel]] and [[Phil Simms]]
 |reference=[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200201190nwe.htm Boxscore]
 |scoring=
;First quarter
* No scoring plays
;Second quarter
* OAK [[James Jett]] 13 yard pass from Gannon ([[Sebastian Janikowski]] kick)
;Third quarter
* NE [[Adam Vinatieri]] 23 yard FG
* OAK Janikowski 38 yard FG
* OAK Janikowski 45 yard FG
;Fourth quarter
* NE Brady 6 yard run (Vinatieri kick)
* NE Vinatieri 45 yard FG
;Overtime
* NE Vinatieri 23 yard FG
 |stats=
;Top passers
* OAK – [[Rich Gannon]] – 17/31, 159 YDS, TD
* NE – [[Tom Brady]] – 32/52, 312 YDS, INT
;Top rushers
* OAK – [[Charlie Garner]] – 17 CAR, 64 YDS
* NE – [[Antowain Smith]] – 20 CAR, 65 YDS
;Top receivers
* OAK – [[Jerry Rice]] – 4 REC, 48 YDS
* NE – [[David Patten]] – 8 REC, 107 YDS
}}

==Aftermath==
The Patriots went on to defeat the [[2001 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]], 24–17, in the AFC Championship Game, and then defeated the [[National Football Conference|NFC]] champion [[2001 St. Louis Rams season|St. Louis Rams]], 20–17, in [[Super Bowl XXXVI]] on a last-second field goal by Vinatieri. The Super Bowl championship was the first in Patriots' history and began a [[Brady–Belichick era|period of dominance]] for the team in the 2000s and 2010s that included eight additional Super Bowl appearances with five more titles, in Super Bowls [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]], [[Super Bowl XLIX|XLIX]], [[Super Bowl LI|LI]], and [[Super Bowl LIII|LIII]].

The Tuck Rule Game was Gruden's last contest of his first stint as Raider head coach; he was traded to the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] before the following season. The Raiders went to the Super Bowl [[Super Bowl XXXVII|the next year]], but were beaten by Gruden's [[2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Buccaneers]], 48–21, and did not make the playoffs again until 2016. In 2018, Gruden returned to coach the Raiders after a nine-year stint as a [[Pundit|television analyst]]. He made reference to the Tuck Rule Game in his introductory press conference upon his return to the Raiders, turning to former Raiders cornerback [[Charles Woodson]] and saying, "Brady fumbled that ball."<ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Shalise Manza|date=January 9, 2018|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ten-highlights-jon-grudens-press-conference-raiders-including-tom-brady-fumbled-223534146.html|title=10 highlights from Jon Gruden's Raiders news conference, including 'Tom Brady fumbled'|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> Brady himself has also suggested that the play "might have been a fumble."<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCarriston |first=Shanna |date=5 May 2022 |title=Tom Brady admits controversial 'Tuck Rule Game' play 'might have been a fumble' and not an incomplete pass |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/tom-brady-admits-controversial-tuck-rule-game-play-might-have-been-a-fumble-and-not-an-incomplete-pass/ |work=CBS Sports}}</ref>

Up to his retirement at the end of the {{nfly|2018}} season, Coleman officiated 265 more NFL games, including 21 more involving the Patriots, but none involving the Raiders. As it happened, his last game involved the Patriots.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/officials/ColeWa0r.htm |title=Walt Coleman at Pro Football Reference|website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] }}</ref>

As for Tom Brady, he went on to have a massive career-winning seven Super Bowls: [[Super Bowl XXXVI|Super Bowls XXXVI]], [[Super Bowl XXXVIII|XXXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXXIX|XXXIX]], [[Super Bowl XLIX|XLIX]], [[Super Bowl LI|LI]], [[Super Bowl LIII|LIII]], and [[Super Bowl LV |LV]]. After his retirement, he went on to become an NFL analyst with [[NFL on Fox|Fox]], as well as a minority stakeholder in the Raiders franchise – the team he beat in the Tuck Rule game.

==Starting lineups==
{{hilite|Hall of Fame‡|#FFCC00}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! style="width:150px" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Oakland Raiders|year=2000}};" | Oakland !! Position !! style="width:150px" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=2000}}" | New England
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"| '''Offense'''
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00" | [[Tim Brown (American football)|Tim Brown]]‡ || align="center"| WR|| [[Troy Brown]]
|-
| [[Barry Sims]] || align="center"| LT || [[Matt Light]]
|-
| [[Steve Wisniewski]] || align="center"| LG || [[Mike Compton (American football)|Mike Compton]]
|-
| [[Adam Treu]] || align="center"| C || [[Damien Woody]]
|-
| [[Frank Middleton]] || align="center"| RG || [[Joe Andruzzi]]
|-
| [[Lincoln Kennedy]] || align="center"| RT || [[Greg Robinson-Randall]]
|-
| [[Roland Williams]] || align="center"| TE || [[Rod Rutledge]]
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00" | [[Jerry Rice]]‡ || align="center"| WR || [[David Patten]]
|-
| [[Rich Gannon]] || align="center"| QB || [[Tom Brady]]
|-
| [[Charlie Garner]] || align="center"| RB || [[Antowain Smith]]
|-
| [[Jon Ritchie]] ||align="center"| FB || [[Marc Edwards (American football)|Marc Edwards]]
|-
|colspan="3" align="center"| '''Defense'''
|-
| [[Regan Upshaw]] || align="center"| LE || [[Bobby Hamilton (American football)|Bobby Hamilton]]
|-
| [[Roderick Coleman|Rod Coleman]] || align="center"| LDT || [[Brandon Mitchell (defensive end)|Brandon Mitchell]]
|-
| [[Grady Jackson]] || align="center"| RDT || [[Riddick Parker]]
|-
| [[Tony Bryant]] || align="center"| RE || [[Anthony Pleasant]]
|-
| [[William Thomas (linebacker)|William Thomas]] ||align="center"| LOLB || [[Mike Vrabel]]
|-
| [[Greg Biekert]] || align="center"| MLB || [[Tedy Bruschi]]
|-
| [[Elijah Alexander]] ||align="center"| ROLB || [[Roman Phifer]]
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00" | [[Charles Woodson]]‡ || align="center"| LCB || bgcolor="#FFCC00" | [[Ty Law]]‡
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCC00" | [[Eric Allen]]‡ || align="center"| RCB || [[Otis Smith (American football)|Otis Smith]]
|-
| [[Johnnie Harris (American football)|Johnnie Harris]] || align="center"| SS || [[Lawyer Milloy]]
|-
| [[Anthony Dorsett]] || align="center"| FS || [[Tebucky Jones]]
|}

==Officials==
* '''Referee:''' [[Walt Coleman]] (#65)
* '''Umpire:''' Undrey Wash (#96)
* '''Head linesman:''' Dale Williams (#8)
* '''Line judge:''' Gary Arthur (#108)
* '''Field judge:''' Scott Edwards (#3)
* '''Side judge:''' [[Dean Look]] (#49)
* '''Back judge:''' [[Phil Luckett]] (#59)

==See also==
* [[1976-77 NFL playoffs#AFC:_Oakland_Raiders_24,_New_England_Patriots_21|1976-77 NFL playoffs]] (the Patriots and Raiders played a divisional round game that featured a controversial, last minute roughing the passer penalty against the Patriots' [[Ray Hamilton (defensive tackle)|Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton]])
* [[Snowplow Game]]
* [[Immaculate Reception]]
* [[Red Right 88]]
* [[List of nicknamed NFL games and plays]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{YouTube|id=UkSi2JK98pM|title=The Tuck Rule Game: NFL Full Game}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171201131548/http://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=220119017 ESPN recap] of the game
* [https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs/2011/story/_/id/7451541/nfl-ten-years-later-tuck-rule-game-resonates 'Tuck Rule Game' changed destinies]

{{New England Patriots}}
{{Las Vegas Raiders}}
{{NFL on CBS}}
{{Tom Brady}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuck}}
[[Category:2001 NFL season]]
[[Category:NFL playoff games]]
[[Category:New England Patriots postseason]]
[[Category:Oakland Raiders postseason]]
[[Category:NFL controversies]]
[[Category:NFL plays]]
[[Category:2002 controversies in the United States]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:January 2002 sports events in the United States]]
[[Category:2002 in sports in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Nicknamed sporting events]]
[[Category:Tom Brady]]
[[Category:Bill Belichick]]