This reminds me of the time greg Jennings put the team on his back and snagged a 90+ yard reception and plowed through Darren Sharper (who was one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league) all on a broken leg.
I cried when they lifted him up and walked him down the field after the long pass. But I wiped the tear with my tree-chopping ax and had a shot of whiskey for added composure.
After Marshall upset Notre Dame this week, This showed up in my feed and I’m glad it did I remember Byron Leftwich playing for Marshall and later in the NFL at Jacksonville I never knew that this happened though unbelievable I gave him all the credit
Before this game even started he was a sure fire 1st Round NFL Draft Prospect with millions of dollars waiting for him at the next level. He basically risked his entire career by playing on a broken leg to win a meaningless game against a 1-7 Akron Zip team with a crowd that resembled that of a High School Football Game in the stands. Most people would have said to just come out and let it be. If I was the coach I wouldn't have let him on the field. That game was not that important overall especially for Byron and his future. 99.999% of people in his shoes would have sat and there's nothing wrong with that. Actually that was the right thing to do. After he broke his leg if he would have gotten hit in that area again I fear what would have happened to his career. This was just insane of him to risk so much for so little. But that must speak to his extreme love of the game and his extreme love for his teammates to go out there and risk it all (even a pro career) for his brothers. I remember this game and I thought the same back way back then. He deserved to be a Heisman Finalist over Ken Dorsey that season. Ken Dorsey was an average player on a great team. He even had average stats. Just look it up. It was a total joke that he was there.
2 things: 1. Pretty dumb if you ask me re: risking draft position. He wasn’t being paid by the NCAA. He wasn’t going to a Natty. He wasn’t gonna win a Heisman. Absolutely no reason to come back. 2. They lost the game.
Well said @cdub2k It’s tragic he wasn’t being paid travolta, but that was insane courage. He was presented with a situation where he could put it all on the line, or not. I respect that he did. I think he will be a perennial playoff coach with jags.
a good person to he lived in the West Virginia building in college and was my neighbor I vaguely remember him coming home after that game when I was little
That last play at 10:30 looked like a neutral zone infraction. Was chopping onions the same time he limped back onto the field so my eyes were leaking. Pivot podcast brought me here
6:40 That scene in the locker room at halftime is amazing stuff. If you ever played this game, you’ve been in a locker room like that with some guys you’ll bond with for life
I know we all love a tough-it-out story and I'm from Kansas where "a little blood helps the grass grow" but as a coach, letting a kid with a professional future play this hurt was incredibly irresponsible. If he was already a professional or he had no future it might be a different story. You can make those risk calls for yourself. But at some point you have a responsibility to protect these kids from themselves. Love that he wanted to do it, love the way his teammates feel about him. Still was a bad call and could've gone horribly wrong.
@@jimboshrump Reminds me of watching RG3's playoff game against the Seahawks his rookie year. Tried to gut it out on a bad knee, we all could see it, everyone praising how tough he was, and then he shreds it completely and was never the same again. Who knows how his career would've looked but that certainly didn't help and it felt weird that we all just watched it happen.
I've always been a little skeptical of Leftwich in these situations. Hopping around on one leg, not able to put any weight on it at all - except when he stepped into throws, where it seems to work ok, even though that's more strain that just standing on it. I don't know. He just always seemed to be playing it up. The same thing happened when he was playing for Jacksonville in the NFL. The Colts beat him up pretty good during one game, and there he was, being carried around the field by his team mates, again. You can't tell me that a QB who literally can't walk is a better option at the time for an NFL team than the backup. But again, when the ball was snapped, he was suddenly able to get around well enough to execute the play.
@@geekverve Philip rivers played an entire AFC Championship game essentially without an MCL or ACL Youngblood played I think a pro bowl and then 2 more playoff games with a broken leg. I completely believe. They call it mind over matter. When you're task saturated and you have adrenaline flowing you can ignore just about any amount of pain. Hopping around he was trying to conserve what leg he had left lol
@@lemonator8813 adrenaline plus all the painkillers they pump athletes full of I’m honestly not surprised by stuff like this at all. I mean didn’t Carson Wentz play like another series before he came out of the game when he tore his acl? Like genuinely some pro athletes have finished games on torn ligaments before even realizing how badly they’re hurt
"Leftwich never panned out in the NFL" What NFL were you watching? When he played, he was GOOD! Would probably still be playing if it weren't for injuries.
TooManyJezebels bruh he was average at best... and that’s leaning towards the bad side not the good side. never threw more than 15 tds in a season. Now David G was a great quarterback for us. He was literally 2 steps above leftwhich. More accurate. Quick release. Much faster running. Breaks down opposing teams defense quickly and efficiently. Actually after mentioning all that, and seeing how David was drafted in the fourth round and Byron in the first, I think It’s fair to say that Byron’s a bust. Now jags fans hate bortles, and I agree he’s def not a franchise QB for any team right now, but leftwich isn’t even in the same solar system as bortles. I’d go mark Brunel, Garrard, bortles, leftwich and Gabbert (the worst qb by miles and miles and miles in franchise history)
@Bryan Holden well, I’m an eagles fan, and I’m still confused why they fired him. Seems a title would give you more leeway. So I think he will do good. Gosh, I kinda feel like the nfl right now cause of this lawsuit, is probably feeling something akin to oppositional defiance disorder, essentially, since they were told to pick a black man, they are making a point not to. Which is so stupid. Flores, left with, biennemy. That’s off top of my head, if the eagles hadn’t just made the playoffs, I’d fire most coaches in the league to hire any of those three.
I didnt know anything about this man but I had his rookie card when I was a teenager and just from his college stats I thought he was the next great quarterback. Glad he still found a way to make it.
Byron's going to be a hell of a coach. Bruce Arians is smart as hell for bringing him on as an intern last year and promoting him to QB coach this offseason.
Leftwich is the man. He had some great years in Jacksonville, even if the franchise never quite could make it to the top. It's great to see his success as OC in Tampa, and he oughtta get a crack at HC somewhere in the next couple of years
i live in ohio, so i'm a buckeyes fan. but marshall is MUCH closer to me than ohio state, so i've always been sort of a marshall fan. always kept up with what they are doing. this broken leg game is something i am NEVER going to forget. him being carried down the field is going to stick with me forever. it was crazy to see. frickin' love byron leftwich.
This story is great, I did not see the game but on that day I saw the highlights of it and was amazed. Funny thing is this day and time the opposing team would never take the shots and hit him like they were even with his injury but those guys hit him every chance they had, I miss the old football defense, don't want anyone hurt but dang make a rule that helps the D stop a O not rules for points. Great story one I will never forget the day I seen those highlights.
Should of gave him the heisman for that. That was an epic moment in college football history while he sas a candidate forget wins and losses and just think individual performances when voting for the heisman
That was almost breathtaking. I know i've seen it a billion times when the jags played my titans on tv, but seeing it again and through the eyes of the players involved, just wow. If the heisman were an award for greatness and courage by a team, marshall would take it. Unfortunately, its a somewhat selfish award as each candidate is judged by on their performance, although bias obviously occurs for winners.
one of the biggest underrate college QB's of all time... They really need to reexamine his career and success and make a couple awards named after him, for example Toughest SOB on the Field
It’s going to be you in the hospital not the coach. I know it was a bit of a different time but looking back and knowing how things are now I think we are better off being smart instead if we get injured now.
2 things really toucheded my heart. First thing is the mental fortitude Leftwich showed by refusing to give up. Just the kind of guy that people love to ball with. A team first winner. 2nd thing I can not fathom the idea of cheating or purposely hurting an oppenent so "our team" will have a better chance of winning. Then out of the corner of my eye I see Leftwich get smashed @ 9:02 mark after completing a handoff to the RB. That piece of trash is #56, Ryan Myers. He did not even try ro make a play on the ball. Nope. Karma will find you in this life or the next. One Love
Yup. I played on a broken ankle in high school and screwed my cartilage up for life.. hurts every step I take. Had a chance if I would have not done that. Crappy trainer told me it was just a sprain and to tape it up.. 😣
It does not matter if Marshall wins or looses. Why??? They have a tradition. One of Team, School, Sport, and City. They are the Gem of "The Jewell City"!!!
Now that’s a good coach!!!! SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO MISS OUT ON A GREAT ONE. Born to do it. Coach Leftwich. Who wouldn’t want to play for this guy after seeing this.
I never seen Leftwich play with this much intensity once on the Jaguars. He was always a decent quarterback but for some reason his body is made of glass and he can’t avoid injury
This reminds me of the time greg Jennings put the team on his back and snagged a 90+ yard reception and plowed through Darren Sharper (who was one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league) all on a broken leg.
LOL hardest hitting safety in the leeeeeague
HAHAHAHA you're an absolute legend for this comment, wow.
Yeah, Darren Sharper was putting folks to sleep.
Iykyk lol
Man so many older dudes are going to be like "WTF are these kids on these days?"
LOL that was funny as hell man
After he handed the ball of he took a huge cheap shot. Pissed me off
I verbally yelled “what a piece of shit” out of pure instinct... they were tryna knock em back out
Amazing to look back on this after his super bowl win!! CONGRATULATIONS COACH LEFTWITCH!!!
His second Super Bowl win
@Vercingetorix Caesar it ain’t that serious dawg
I cried when they lifted him up and walked him down the field after the long pass. But I wiped the tear with my tree-chopping ax and had a shot of whiskey for added composure.
Me too bruh...Now don't tell nobody because I'll deny it 😆 😆
I like where this went
🤣🤣🤣
Me too buddy. I'm a ECU fan but that day I rooted for the Hurd.
Thats my Quarterback!😭🤧
After Marshall upset Notre Dame this week, This showed up in my feed and I’m glad it did I remember Byron Leftwich playing for Marshall and later in the NFL at Jacksonville I never knew that this happened though unbelievable I gave him all the credit
I watched this game live it was crazy
Weird this just came up on my feed too
The hit on Leftwich at 9:00 is so uncalled for
Why?
@@gjwilliams4098 he handed the ball off to the RB and was no longer involved in the play
@@STRDXcould’ve been a fake
This dude got into the car still wearing his helmet n everything lmao
Before this game even started he was a sure fire 1st Round NFL Draft Prospect with millions of dollars waiting for him at the next level. He basically risked his entire career by playing on a broken leg to win a meaningless game against a 1-7 Akron Zip team with a crowd that resembled that of a High School Football Game in the stands.
Most people would have said to just come out and let it be. If I was the coach I wouldn't have let him on the field. That game was not that important overall especially for Byron and his future. 99.999% of people in his shoes would have sat and there's nothing wrong with that. Actually that was the right thing to do. After he broke his leg if he would have gotten hit in that area again I fear what would have happened to his career. This was just insane of him to risk so much for so little.
But that must speak to his extreme love of the game and his extreme love for his teammates to go out there and risk it all (even a pro career) for his brothers. I remember this game and I thought the same back way back then.
He deserved to be a Heisman Finalist over Ken Dorsey that season. Ken Dorsey was an average player on a great team. He even had average stats. Just look it up. It was a total joke that he was there.
2 things:
1. Pretty dumb if you ask me re: risking draft position. He wasn’t being paid by the NCAA. He wasn’t going to a Natty. He wasn’t gonna win a Heisman. Absolutely no reason to come back.
2. They lost the game.
Thank God Byron has more class in his pinky than you do in your whole body. What you just said us what a loser would say
@@Tronjavoltaa sounds like a class A beta male quitter
Well said @cdub2k It’s tragic he wasn’t being paid travolta, but that was insane courage. He was presented with a situation where he could put it all on the line, or not. I respect that he did. I think he will be a perennial playoff coach with jags.
@@Tronjavoltaa They fuckin lost lol
This guy is STILL the toughest football player I ever saw...One helluva leader and quarterback!!
a good person to he lived in the West Virginia building in college and was my neighbor I vaguely remember him coming home after that game when I was little
Big Ben is tough as nails too. Both one Super Bowls with my Steelers similar body types and skillset.
*Ehhh…. Let’s be real, he only did it so he still had a chance at the heisman* 🤷♂️
@@strongestnattyever-videos2247 Get well soon...
That last play at 10:30 looked like a neutral zone infraction. Was chopping onions the same time he limped back onto the field so my eyes were leaking.
Pivot podcast brought me here
They just don't build em like that anymore.
Byron will be a monster NFL head coach very soon
I think he will butt heads with brady but learning under bruce is great. I'm not even a TB fan either.
Sb champ
This aged well
Wow I watched this video two years ago and somehow I’m watching it Again.
6:40 That scene in the locker room at halftime is amazing stuff. If you ever played this game, you’ve been in a locker room like that with some guys you’ll bond with for life
I know we all love a tough-it-out story and I'm from Kansas where "a little blood helps the grass grow" but as a coach, letting a kid with a professional future play this hurt was incredibly irresponsible. If he was already a professional or he had no future it might be a different story. You can make those risk calls for yourself. But at some point you have a responsibility to protect these kids from themselves. Love that he wanted to do it, love the way his teammates feel about him. Still was a bad call and could've gone horribly wrong.
He never was a great QB after this.
@@jimboshrump Reminds me of watching RG3's playoff game against the Seahawks his rookie year. Tried to gut it out on a bad knee, we all could see it, everyone praising how tough he was, and then he shreds it completely and was never the same again. Who knows how his career would've looked but that certainly didn't help and it felt weird that we all just watched it happen.
I've always been a little skeptical of Leftwich in these situations. Hopping around on one leg, not able to put any weight on it at all - except when he stepped into throws, where it seems to work ok, even though that's more strain that just standing on it. I don't know. He just always seemed to be playing it up. The same thing happened when he was playing for Jacksonville in the NFL. The Colts beat him up pretty good during one game, and there he was, being carried around the field by his team mates, again. You can't tell me that a QB who literally can't walk is a better option at the time for an NFL team than the backup. But again, when the ball was snapped, he was suddenly able to get around well enough to execute the play.
@@geekverve Philip rivers played an entire AFC Championship game essentially without an MCL or ACL
Youngblood played I think a pro bowl and then 2 more playoff games with a broken leg.
I completely believe.
They call it mind over matter.
When you're task saturated and you have adrenaline flowing you can ignore just about any amount of pain.
Hopping around he was trying to conserve what leg he had left lol
@@lemonator8813 adrenaline plus all the painkillers they pump athletes full of I’m honestly not surprised by stuff like this at all. I mean didn’t Carson Wentz play like another series before he came out of the game when he tore his acl? Like genuinely some pro athletes have finished games on torn ligaments before even realizing how badly they’re hurt
5:43 I’m right next to Leftwich with the camera. As a Marshall intern I helped Mtv film “True Life, I’m a Heisman candidate.”
thats sick lol.
boss move dude getting on the bus with the large papa johns. big ups
"Leftwich never panned out in the NFL"
What NFL were you watching? When he played, he was GOOD! Would probably still be playing if it weren't for injuries.
+TooManyJezebels I wish Bryon would have stayed healthy in the NFL. He was solid when he was healthy.
TooManyJezebels he sucked bro
Chris Bowman no he wasn't
He never had the mechanics needed to play at a high level in the league. If he had a faster release, he would have been really good.
TooManyJezebels bruh he was average at best... and that’s leaning towards the bad side not the good side. never threw more than 15 tds in a season. Now David G was a great quarterback for us. He was literally 2 steps above leftwhich. More accurate. Quick release. Much faster running. Breaks down opposing teams defense quickly and efficiently. Actually after mentioning all that, and seeing how David was drafted in the fourth round and Byron in the first, I think It’s fair to say that Byron’s a bust. Now jags fans hate bortles, and I agree he’s def not a franchise QB for any team right now, but leftwich isn’t even in the same solar system as bortles. I’d go mark Brunel, Garrard, bortles, leftwich and Gabbert (the worst qb by miles and miles and miles in franchise history)
I watched this game, but completely forgot that Marshall lost. All I can remember is the linemen carrying Leftwich between plays.
The offensive leader the AZ Cardinals need right now. Wishing him the best.
Here right before he gets his first NFL head coaching job.
This is one of the greatest sports moments of my lifetime.
I think it’s confirmed now… jaguars. Well deserved. I think he will do great.
@Bryan Holden well, I’m an eagles fan, and I’m still confused why they fired him. Seems a title would give you more leeway. So I think he will do good. Gosh, I kinda feel like the nfl right now cause of this lawsuit, is probably feeling something akin to oppositional defiance disorder, essentially, since they were told to pick a black man, they are making a point not to. Which is so stupid. Flores, left with, biennemy. That’s off top of my head, if the eagles hadn’t just made the playoffs, I’d fire most coaches in the league to hire any of those three.
🤣
Not in this clown league
Maybe a few more years when Brady wins him another ring lmao
Man I wish they won the game! Still a great story though
I didnt know anything about this man but I had his rookie card when I was a teenager and just from his college stats I thought he was the next great quarterback. Glad he still found a way to make it.
Byron's going to be a hell of a coach. Bruce Arians is smart as hell for bringing him on as an intern last year and promoting him to QB coach this offseason.
Crazy how he is bradys OC now..
Great comment
This comment aged so well. I’m praying this man will be the next coach of my Jags
greatly appreciate the throwback! I got to watch every home game he played at Marshall in addition to Chad Pennington and Troy Brown 😊
That coach was a selfish asshole for allowing Leftwich to play on a broken leg.
Yeah man. Awesome moment and story, but would never happen today.
Leftwich is the man. He had some great years in Jacksonville, even if the franchise never quite could make it to the top. It's great to see his success as OC in Tampa, and he oughtta get a crack at HC somewhere in the next couple of years
Super Bowl champ and Steelers legend Byron Leftwich
Steelers legend no. He is part of steeler family
Don’t know how I’ve never seen this. Byron is my all time favorite Marshall qb. Miss these days of Marshall football being more relevant
Congrats on knocking off notre dame
Boom
One of the gutsiest performances ive ever seen
best program through the 90s. No brag just fact.
he was amazingly accurate. it's his elongated throwing motion thats almost tebow-esque that held him back. and the injuries
If leftwich had the throwing style of manning instead of Tebow he'd still be starting today
i live in ohio, so i'm a buckeyes fan. but marshall is MUCH closer to me than ohio state, so i've always been sort of a marshall fan. always kept up with what they are doing. this broken leg game is something i am NEVER going to forget. him being carried down the field is going to stick with me forever. it was crazy to see. frickin' love byron leftwich.
God his mom seems like she is the best! Like, for real… if she could be everyone’s mom.
Here because of the pivot! Who else?
Could you imagine the fines and bans coming from this game in 2022.. allowing him to play hurt would be a firing nowadays
This was one of the most iconic moments of the decade in college football but I figured Marshall won that game!
Here cuz of the pivot
That's how you lead by example. Amazing and rare to see people be able to match their demands for others with how they themselves play.
This story is great, I did not see the game but on that day I saw the highlights of it and was amazed. Funny thing is this day and time the opposing team would never take the shots and hit him like they were even with his injury but those guys hit him every chance they had, I miss the old football defense, don't want anyone hurt but dang make a rule that helps the D stop a O not rules for points. Great story one I will never forget the day I seen those highlights.
Probably going to be an NFL Head coach in a few years.
I love the 20 seconds to 40 seconds.of this video HerdNation needs to hear this now
I watched that game live. It was an amazing performance.
That is what leaders DO !!!
This video should have ten million views
So glad he got a ring will be a great head coach one day. Glad to call him our OC.
Remember watching this live thinking 🤔 he's got to win the Heisman right ?
Great lesson of courage like the coach said.
FREAKING CHILLS GOING BACK LOOKING AT THIS!!!
Should of gave him the heisman for that. That was an epic moment in college football history while he sas a candidate forget wins and losses and just think individual performances when voting for the heisman
What a great story man I hope he becomes a winning head coach for the jags 🤴🏿🤴🏿
This is football! Thats how to lead by example!
i watched this game live it was great!!
I watched this game.
That was a true gutsy performance.
That was almost breathtaking. I know i've seen it a billion times when the jags played my titans on tv, but seeing it again and through the eyes of the players involved, just wow. If the heisman were an award for greatness and courage by a team, marshall would take it. Unfortunately, its a somewhat selfish award as each candidate is judged by on their performance, although bias obviously occurs for winners.
0ldskool2121 there not ur Titans. U had no say whatsoever in the location of the tram or anything also Sc rew Tennessee.
Wow is all I can say true warriors those dudes
He should have won the Heisman based on this performance alone
Byron looks the same today. He hasn’t aged a day. Insane.
Bro… why tf did they let him go back into the game??😂🤣 I mean it’s a cool ass story but damn
Fril.
One of my fav Jags of all time. Dudes a champ
man this clip took me back i didnt think all athletes got that papa jhons pizza after the game i love those pizzas back in the day
one of the biggest underrate college QB's of all time... They really need to reexamine his career and success and make a couple awards named after him, for example Toughest SOB on the Field
I legit remember this. Literally. My dad sad “Be like Byron Leftwich, never give tf up! If you can play thru an injury to help your team.
It’s going to be you in the hospital not the coach. I know it was a bit of a different time but looking back and knowing how things are now I think we are better off being smart instead if we get injured now.
He took a beating his whole career
That’s a tough tough man. Playing football on a broken leg‼️🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶🫡
I remember watching this game and wanting my Minnesota Vikings to draft Byron
This and Philip Rivers playing with a torn ACL has to be two of the toughest QB performances
I actually remember watching this when it happened
Determination and perseverance!!!
Byron showed what it takes to be a winner
he got ROCKED at 9:01 holy shit
We were spoiled with Chad Pennington and Byron back to back.
That man showed heart that game
Not sure how or why this is trending now. Maybe because they just beat Notre Dame but I just have to say I’m so stoked this his our OC in Tampa Bay.
2 things really toucheded my heart. First thing is the mental fortitude Leftwich showed by refusing to give up. Just the kind of guy that people love to ball with. A team first winner.
2nd thing
I can not fathom the idea of cheating or purposely hurting an oppenent so "our team" will have a better chance of winning. Then out of the corner of my eye I see Leftwich get smashed @ 9:02 mark after completing a handoff to the RB. That piece of trash is #56, Ryan Myers. He did not even try ro make a play on the ball. Nope. Karma will find you in this life or the next. One Love
That's a football play imo.
Listen to each their own. I never played any game or sport like that. I want you at your best, so when I win you will know Im the better man.
Honour and integrity dont mean much to most but that aint me.
Super Bowl Champion with my Steelers was the perfect backup to Ben similar body types and skillset didn’t have to change much when Leftwich came in
Damn even the defensive lineman was hollering in the locker room bout how tough dude is ! That says sumn
Damn he aint take off his helmet and pads the whole time? Thats dedication I wish I had.😂
I love Byron. wish he had more success for my jags. he's such a good dude.
That was tough as hell, but it was just as dumb.
Yup. I played on a broken ankle in high school and screwed my cartilage up for life.. hurts every step I take. Had a chance if I would have not done that. Crappy trainer told me it was just a sprain and to tape it up.. 😣
Lincoln riley needs to show that to Oklahoma to make em understand every dam game is important.
Great story. Love to see it ❤️
He's been coaching his whole life, he's ready for the Jacksonville Jags job.
Remember this the next time you wake up and don’t want to go to work.
Goat for this ☝🏿
HE PUT THE TEAM ON HIS BACK, DO!
That is courage and leadership
Know he's a heck of a offensive coordinator
THAT'S a man's man right there.
It does not matter if Marshall wins or looses. Why??? They have a tradition. One of Team, School, Sport, and City. They are the Gem of "The Jewell City"!!!
This was sick!
Now that’s a good coach!!!! SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO MISS OUT ON A GREAT ONE. Born to do it. Coach Leftwich. Who wouldn’t want to play for this guy after seeing this.
I never seen Leftwich play with this much intensity once on the Jaguars. He was always a decent quarterback but for some reason his body is made of glass and he can’t avoid injury
When the starter plays on a broken leg, as the back up you know you ain’t ever seein the field
2:25 players doing lord's prayer... I wonder if that still happens? Fantastic!
A HD Woodson Senior High School WARRIOR
get ready for the Steelers game then, your boys starting!
he sounds like Bud Kilmer
Can you fix him?
Superbowl winning Offensive Coordinator with the Bucs.