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This is part eight in FanHouse's nine-part series examining memorable moments and players from past Super Bowl games played in Miami. Coming next: Colts defensive tackle Anthony McFarland, Super Bowl XLI.SUPER BOWL XXXIII
Date: Jan. 31, 1999
Site: Pro Player Stadium
Score: Broncos 34, Falcons 19 (MVP: John Elway)
At the University of Illinois, Howard Griffith scored eight -- count 'em, eight -- touchdowns in a game, breaking a record held by Red Grange, the Illini legend who came to be known as the "Galloping Ghost."
Griffith was given a nickname, too, but not until he carved his niche in the pros. Well into his 11-year NFL career, he was known simply as the "Human Plow," and not because he punished would-be tacklers when he had the ball.
Because of what he did without it.
"I wasn't fast enough to be a tailback. I had to adjust my game," said Griffith, a ninth-round draft pick by Indianapolis who bounced around with four teams. "So I became a great blocker."
Griffith was the guy paving the way for Terrell Davis during the Denver Broncos' run of back-to-back world championships in the late-1990s. In '97 and '98, when Davis carried 761 times for 3,758 yards (including just the fourth 2,000-yard rushing campaign in league history) and 37 touchdowns, Griffith combined to run the ball 13 times for 47 yards and no TDs.
His longest career rushing attempt was 16 yards.
"I actually don't even remember that one," he said.
Here's something Griffith hasn't forgotten. In Super Bowl XXXIII against the surprising Atlanta Falcons, Davis accounted for 150 yards of total offense, but on two trips inside the Atlanta 5 -- one in each half -- Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan crossed up the Falcons defense by giving the ball to the upback, Griffth, on a pair of goal-line situations.
Touchdown.
And touchdown.
In 121 career regular-season games, Griffith averaged 1 carry per game (and 2.9 yards per attempt) and totaled three touchdowns. So for one Super Sunday, it wasn't a bad night for a player of -- how shall we put this? -- modest NFL statistics.
"Modest? My stats were ugly," said Griffith, now 42 and living in Chicago, where he does broadcasting for the Big Ten Network and some motivational speaking. "It's interesting. Leading up to the week, we knew if we got inside the 3 or so, I was going to get the call."
On the Friday before the Super Bowl, Davis and Griffith even walked to the goal line and mocked the play they both hoped (especially one of them) would happen.
Two days later, it was real. Twice.
"Obviously, those were rewards for a career of running into people all my NFL life," Griffith said. "That was my job. If I didn't do it, we wouldn't have been as a successful as we were."
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