FROM THE ARCHIVES: Putting a Famous NFL Play in Perspective
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Putting a Famous NFL Play in Perspective
A look back at the epic 1986 AFC Championship game
(Note: This column was originally published October 21, 2021 in advance of a Thursday night game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos.)
My friends, I’m looking forward to Browns-Broncos, one of those intraconference rivalries that has been very good for one team and not so good for the other.
The teams first met in 1970 and, though Cleveland captured three of the first four matchups, the Denver franchise has controlled things since, giving the Broncos an all-time series edge of 24-6. That, folks, is domination.
Adding insult to injury for the Browns and their fans, three of those defeats were in the American Football Conference championship game following the 1986, 1987 and 1989 regular seasons. First, there was “The Drive,” then “The Fumble,” and, finally, a 16-point margin that didn’t need last-minute magic.
“The Drive” is forever etched in NFL lore and was great football theater, with Broncos QB John Elway leading his mates on a 98-yard march and throwing a last minute five-yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson. Kicker Rich Karlis added the extra point to tie it and Denver prevailed in overtime on a Karlis field goal, 23-20. As for 1989, it was a classic case of Elway making fourth-quarter plays to keep the opponent at bay.
But the AFC title game in the 1987 playoffs – since named “The Fumble” – was, in my opinion, the best of the three contests, an epic battle between two heavyweights determined to get to the Super Bowl. And it took some effort for both teams to reach the conference championship in the first place.
The 1987 NFL campaign was an odd one as a 24-day players’ strike early in the season led to every team playing three games composed primarily of non-union replacement players. The only franchise that didn’t have anyone cross the picket line was Joe Gibbs’ Washington squad, which went 3-0 during the interruption and eventually won Super Bowl XXII.
The team’s effort inspired an ESPN “30 for 30” program as well as “The Replacements,” a film released in the year 2000, starring Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. Hackman, of course, is a winner of two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes while Reeves won “Most Desirable Male” for his role as Johnny Utah in “Point Break.” My father, THE CHIEF, finished second.
Both Denver and Cleveland performed admirably during the strike by winning two of their three replacement games, helping them to finish atop the AFC in the 15-game season, at 10-4-1 and 10-5, respectively. The Broncos had a slightly better record, but Marty Schottenheimer’s Browns were particularly strong, outscoring opponents by an average of 10 points per game.
In the postseason, the host Browns easily took care of business in their first game, beating the Indianapolis Colts, 38-21, led by star running back Earnest Byner, who recorded 158 total yards and two touchdowns. On the following day, the Broncos routed the visiting Houston Oilers, 34-10, setting the stage for an AFC Championship rematch, in Denver.
The previous year’s AFC Championship game – “The Drive” – was played in Cleveland and, as you know, remains one of the most acutely painful days in Ohio sports history. The Browns were bent on avenging the loss in the rematch and the aforementioned Byner was particularly fired up, having barely played in the 1986 title game due to a lingering ankle injury.
The teams kicked off the 1987 game at 2 p.m. Mountain Standard Time at Mile High Stadium and it looked like a waltz for coach Dan Reeves, offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and the Broncos as they stormed to a 21-3 halftime lead. Cleveland responded with a quick TD pass from Bernie Kosar to Reggie Langhorne early in the third quarter, but Elway then found Mark Jackson, the Browns’ nemesis, with a short pass that the Purdue product turned into an 80-yard touchdown.
After that TD, it was 28-10, Denver, with 9:57 remaining in the third quarter. Then, Byner took over.
First, Byner caught a 32-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter from QB Bernie Kosar, who was brilliant on the day with 356 yards passing and three scores. Then he ran four yards for another TD to shave the lead to 28-24, Denver, with 3:45 left in the third. Karlis, the Broncos’ kicker, responded with a field goal and, heading to the fourth quarter, the hosts led, 31-24.
In the final period, Cleveland struck first as Kosar hit future Pro Bowl wide receiver Webster Slaughter with a four-yard touchdown pass, knotting the game at 31. Then Elway followed his usual script, leading Denver on a drive ending with a brilliant 20-yard catch-and-run by Sammy (Side) Winder, who reached paydirt just ahead of Browns cornerback Hanford Dixon, Winder’s University of Southern Mississippi teammate.
With the score 38-31 and 4:01 remaining, it was Cleveland’s turn to respond, and respond they did, with Kosar methodically leading his mates down the field until they reached Denver’s eight-yard line with about 1:10 left on the clock. Plenty of time to tie the game and send the AFC title game to overtime for the second year in a row.
While Byner and the Browns were tearing through the Broncos defense for 28 second-half points, there was a player on the Denver sideline who was yearning to contribute to a Super Bowl run.
Cornerback Jeremiah Castille, a fifth-year pro from the University of Alabama, was in his first year with Denver after four productive seasons as a starter in Tampa Bay, and was itching to make an impact for the Broncos and well-respected defensive coordinator Joe Collier. He was a reserve during his first season in Colorado and, in 12-plus games over the course of the regular season and playoffs, hadn’t made an impactful play that showed up in the box score.
With time running out, Kosar took the Browns to the line of scrimmage. Merlin Olsen, the Hall of Fame defensive lineman-turned-broadcaster, spoke of the Broncos and said, “Down near their own goal line, these are the toughest yards in football right here.”
His partner, Dick Enberg, took it from there:
“Draw to Byner,” as the Browns runner, a Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity member, picked up steam and prepared to step (show) into the end zone…
…“Earnest Byner” as Castille suddenly converged, knocked the ball out of the running back’s left hand, and then fell on the football…
…“Fumbled the ball and Denver has recovered! Oh my!” as the Broncos celebrated and a forlorn Byner trudged off the field with 65 seconds left.
Afterwards, Castille said, “I saw it was a draw play and that Byner had the ball. I remember thinking that Byner ran all over us that entire second half, so there was no way I was going to tackle him. Instead, I went for the ball the whole time."
His strategy worked. Elway then brought the offense onto the field and ran the clock down to the nub before punter Mike Horan entered the game, and took an intentional two-point safety with 10 seconds left. Denver, 38-33. Final.
After the game Byner, who had 187 total yards, was exactly the accountable guy you’d imagine.
"I played my ass off," Byner said. "I played my heart out. I'm not going to stand up here and cry. I'm a man. And I'm going to act like one. I left everything on the field."
Schottenheimer defended his star running back, saying, "Earnest never saw Castille coming. Earnest was the reason we were still in the game at that point. He had several heroic runs and catches over the course of the second half that allowed us to have a chance to tie the game at 38. All of these heroics, unfortunately, were overshadowed by a single draw play from the eight-yard line."
And Webster Slaughter, the wide receiver, blamed himself: “Hey, the fumble was partly my fault. I should have made a block (on Castille). The play was supposed to go inside, but there were no holes so Earnest took it outside like the great back he is."
With Castille’s history as a guide, it wasn’t a surprise that he would step up and force a turnover, especially when it counted. Times were tough in Tampa as the 1983 Bucs lost as many games (eight) in the first half of Castille’s rookie season as he lost in his entire Alabama career yet he accounted for 15 takeaways in four productive seasons there. In fact, his seven interceptions in 1985 remain tied for fourth-best in team annals for a single year.
His success in Tampa followed a storied career in Tuscaloosa under Paul “Bear” Bryant as the undersized (5’10”, 175 lbs.) Castille finished tied for first in school history with 16 regular-season interceptions. He added a punt return touchdown for good measure, was an All-American in his senior season of 1982, and has been ranked among the five best defensive backs in Crimson Tide history.
Of particular note are a pair of Castille’s big performances in big spots. He picked off three passes in a hard-fought loss to Tennessee on October 16, 1982, and then there was the 1982 Liberty Bowl against the University of Illinois, an event that was likely more important to Castille than the 1987 AFC Championship.
The game, played in Memphis, Tenn., was noteworthy for two reasons: Bryant had announced it would be the final game of his storied career and, surprisingly, the ever-quiet Castille decided to give a pregame speech.
“Coach, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Four years ago, I came here as an 18-year-old boy. Tonight, I’m leaving as a 22-year-old man, and I personally want to thank you for that,” he said.
“Coach, there ain’t no way we’re gonna lose this game tonight, even if I got to play it by myself.”
Castille honored his coach – and his promise – in the game by intercepting Illini quarterback Tony Eason three times and earning Most Valuable Player honors, ending his career with 19 INTs. Bryant retired as planned and, less than four weeks later, tragically died of a heart attack. The well-respected Castille was one of eight pallbearers at the funeral, at the Bryant family’s request.
The Bear would surely have been proud of his pupil’s effort in that 1987 AFC Championship game and, even more so, would be proud of the man that Castille has become.
After intercepting a pass in Denver’s next game, the Super Bowl XXII loss to Washington, Castille played one more NFL season before calling it quits to coach and teach at Briarwood Christian High School in his native Birmingham, Ala. He runs the Jeremiah Castille Foundation and remains very connected to the Alabama program, even sending three sons to play for the Crimson Tide.
One of the young men, Caleb, is an actor on the TV show NCIS:LA while Tim and Simeon followed their dad’s path to the NFL, playing four seasons apiece in the league. In fact, Simeon, who resides with his father on Alabama’s top-10 career interceptions list – played pro ball for a bit longer, even suiting up for an outfit named the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League (UFL) in 2011.
And Simeon’s coach in Virginia was, yes indeed, Marty Schottenheimer. The football gods do have a sense of humor, don’t they?
After “The Fumble,” things turned out just fine professionally for Schottenheimer and Byner. The coach was fired after the 1988 season and went on to win an additional 151 NFL games with Kansas City (1989-98), Washington (2001) and San Diego (2002-2006). And the 2011 Virginia Destroyers won the UFL title. He passed away, far too soon, on February 8, 2021.
As for Byner, he was traded by the Browns and general manager Ernie Accorsi after the team fired Schottenheimer, landing in Washington with coach Joe Gibbs. He played five seasons in DC and developed into one of the league’s top backs, rushing for big yards three years in a row (1,219 in 1990, 1,048 in 1991, 998 in 1992) and enjoyed five playoff victories, including Super Bowl XXVI in the 1991 season. The player for whom he was traded, Mike Oliphant, was out of football by 1992.
Byner left Washington after the 1993 season and closed out his 14-year career with two more years in Cleveland – even winning a playoff game with Bill Belichick’s 1994 squad – and two seasons in Baltimore. He currently ranks seventh all-time as a rusher for two franchises – the Browns and Washington – and is 17th on the Ravens’ list.
Putting the East Carolina University alum’s career in perspective, Byner still ranks 59th in NFL history in career all-purpose yards with 13,497, more than Hall of Famers such as Steve Largent and John Riggins. And that’s 24 years after retirement; when he stepped away from the playing field, he was in the top 15.
That’s not too shabby.
After retiring, Byner worked as the running backs coach for two of his former employers – the Ravens (1998-2003) and Washington (2004-07), winning a second Super Bowl ring in 2000 with Baltimore. He was the first individual inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor and was named one of the “70 Greatest” players in WFT history.
After leaving DC for the second time, he continued to mentor running backs in Tennessee (2008-09), Jacksonville (2010-11), and Tampa Bay (2012-13). Indeed, now, like his old foe Castille, Byner is a Buccaneers alum.
Speaking of Byner – and Castille – I’ve got one last thought about that 1987 AFC Championship game, the dramatic sequence where these two men played lead roles. It is, as you might guess, on the NFL Network’s list of “100 Greatest Plays,” (at #49) under it’s long known title.
Well, I’ve got a better idea. Instead of celebrating one man’s unfortunate misstep and calling it “The Fumble,” let’s instead acknowledge the great effort Castille made on the play. Yep, I’ve got a name for it. Let’s call it “The Denver Strip.” It doesn’t roll off the tongue like Kansas City Strip or Vegas Strip, but it’ll do just fine.