M.D. Jennings Is Sick of Talking About Packers-Seahawks Fail Mary
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Twelve years ago, the Green Bay Packers played a primetime game at the Seattle Seahawks.
On fourth-and-10 from Green Bay’s 24 with 8 seconds remaining, Russell Wilson scrambled to his left and, just as he was about to get drilled by Clay Matthews, he uncorked a pass deep into the dark Seattle sky.
It was caught in the end zone by Packers safety M.D. Jennings for the game-winning …
Touchdown?
It was the Fail Mary.
And Jennings is tired of talking about it.
“I am,” he said on Saturday, one day before the Packers (9-4) face the Seahawks (8-5) on Sunday night.
“It won’t go away.”
The outcome is as shocking today as it was on Sept. 24, 2012.
Seattle’s Golden Tate and Charly Martin were the two Seattle receivers in the area while Jennings, Sam Shields, Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Jarrett Bush were on the scene for the Packers.
As the pass approached, Tate blatantly shoved Shields aside to get in position.
Still, it was Jennings who was the first to get his hands on the ball. As he descended toward the turf, Tate grabbed the ball. Jennings hit the turf and rolled on top of Tate.
“As I’m coming down, he grabs it and then it goes crazy from there,” Jennings recalled. “I’m on my way down, I feel a hand on the ball and then I’m at the bottom of a pile and it’s pretty much the whole team trying to get the ball and everyone’s fighting over the ball.”
After a few seconds, one of the officials – replacement officials, as the real officials were on strike – signaled a touchdown. The other official simply called for the clock to stop.
Chaos ensued. The Seahawks celebrated while a tug of war over the ball continued. About 20 seconds after the play ended, Tate emerged with the ball.
“At that moment,” Jennings continued, “once the officials go and you know the play is under review, you feel like they’re going to make the right call. But, obviously, they ruled it a touchdown, which I feel like everyone except for Seahawks fans see it as an interception.”
Seattle won 14-12.
“We were just all in disbelief,” Jennings said. “We honestly didn’t feel like they would get it wrong, but that was replacement officials. So, I think that had a lot to do with it. I would like to think that if that was a normal crew, they would have got the call right on the field and after reviewing it, the call would have still been ruled an interception.
“But it’s crazy when you’re dealing with officials, even NFL officials, but when you’re dealing with replacement officials, that makes it a little bit more bizarre.”
Jennings entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He made the roster as a rookie, then started 10 games in 2012 and all 16 games in 2013.
That’s a pretty good career for a player who’s really only known for one play. It’s as if his 72-yard pick-six at Detroit about two months later never happened.
“It’s one of those plays, after it happened, I always felt like, ‘Hey, I need to make another play,’” Jennings said. “And even after making other plays, that Fail Mary play, it never went away.”
Jennings signed with the Bears in free agency in 2014 but suffered a shoulder injury during training camp and was released. He never played in another game after starting for the Packers in the playoff loss at San Francisco in 2013.
Does he ever wonder what might have been?
“Not really. I really don’t have any regrets,” he said. “I just appreciate the moments and just try not to get caught up in the moment. And I know a lot of guys, just for whatever reason, they can’t transition after football. So, I try not to even think about that now.
“I just take advantage of each and every day, enjoy time with my family, and I’m still involved with the game and try to get the young athletes headed in the right direction.”
What are some of those moments he appreciates?
“Just being in the locker room with the teammates and getting out there and being able to play the game of football,” Jennings said. “I met a lot of great people over the years. You know, college and pros and was able to travel and play in all of these great stadiums. Those are the moments that I cherish.
“You meet a lot of great people. You learn a lot from a lot of people I’ve been around, a lot of great coaches, like Dom Capers and the Mike McCarthys and the Kevin Greenes. You learn a lot from those guys. It’s bigger than football. You learn life lessons.”
Jennings is the head coach at his alma mater, Calhoun City (Miss.) High School. He just completed his fifth season. He reached the state championship game during his first season and the quarterfinals this season.
“I just tell them to enjoy each and every opportunity,” Jennings said of his message to his players. “Don’t take anything for granted because you never know when it’ll be your last play. You can be having the game of your life, but one wrong step or something and maybe you’re dealing with a career ending injury. So, I just tell them to just enjoy it.”
The Fail Mary comes up often during pregame conversations with opposing coaches and the officials.
“It was just one of those plays that people will remember forever,” Jennings said.
How’s the Wildcats’ Hail Mary defense?
“You know, it’s something you practice like once a week,” he said. “But we like to end the game in victory formation and not be on defense.”
Latest Green Bay Packers News
Five first-round NFL Draft options | Win or loss? Updated playoff possibilities | Josh Jacobs’ memorable game at Seattle | Eric Stokes’ insane three-year streak | Packers-Seahawks final injury report | NFC North power rankings and previews | Packers-Seahawks keys to the game | Packers-Seahawks injury report | Latest on Edgerrin Cooper | Jordan Love is getting hot | Packers-Seahawks game preview | On SI NFL Power Rankings | Impact of mini-bye on winning, losing |Packers-Seahawks: TV, trends, odds | Packers-Seahawks matchups | Packers can’t ignore Jayden Reed | The good news is the Packers just won the Super Bowl