Happy 9th Anniversary to Dan Connolly's 71 Yard Kick Return, of One of the Unforgettable Moments in Patriots History

December 19, 2010. Today marks the ninth anniversary of one of the great and yet underappreciated regular season moments in the last 20 years, if not in all of Patriots history. Right guard Dan Connolly’s spectacular 71 yard kick return on Sunday Night Football against the Packers.

It’s easy to forget how big a play this was at the time. But while this was during Tom Brady’s unanimous MVP season, the Pats defense was in the middle of their abysmal phase between the Rodney Harrison/Tedy Bruschi years and the Darrelle Revis/Dont’a Hightower period when they got good again.

It was a time when no quarterback was so horrible they weren’t capable of making him look like 1994 Steve Young. So they where in the process of getting beaten on prime time TV by Matt Flynn, of all people. They were down by 10 as they approached the two minute warning and halftime before Connolly went all Devin Hester on everyone, running 71 yards down to the Green Bay 4 and into America’s heart.

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Three plays later, Tom Brady connected with some rookie tight end out of Florida whose name I forget. Then he hooked up with that same guy late in the game for the go ahead score and the win to put them at 12-2 on their way to the 1-seed in the AFC.

But ultimately the were carried to that win on the elusive legs of the kick return ace out of SE Missouri St. I’m sure it would be remembered more if he’d made it those last four yards and break the plane for the score. But the way I look at it, when a 6-4, 305lb guy climbs up Everest and makes it as far at the Hillary Step, there’s no reason to split hairs. You celebrate just like you did if summits it. So congrats on an almost kick return touchdown, 63. Your feat – and your amazing, winged feet – will never be forgotten.