Pat Terrell
Encyclopedia
Patrick Christopher Terrell (born March 18, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee
) is a former American football
safety in the NFL
for the Los Angeles Rams
, New York Jets
, Carolina Panthers
, and Green Bay Packers
. He played college football
at the University of Notre Dame
.
He is perhaps best remembered for his efforts in preserving a victory for the Fighting Irish during their 1988 National Championship season. In a game billed as the "Catholics vs. Convicts
", #1 Miami pulled to within 1 point with a touchdown with less than 1 minute to go in the 4th quarter, making the score 31-30. Miami coach Jimmy Johnson
made the decision to go for the two-point conversion, and called for a pass play to the right corner of the endzone. Terrell batted away Steve Walsh's pass at the last possible instant, sealing the victory for the Irish, and helping them roll onward to a 12-0 season and the national crown.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
He is perhaps best remembered for his efforts in preserving a victory for the Fighting Irish during their 1988 National Championship season. In a game billed as the "Catholics vs. Convicts
Catholics vs. Convicts
The 1988 Notre Dame vs. Miami football game, colloquially known as "Catholics vs. Convicts", was played on October 15, 1988. The two teams were undefeated when they met at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won the closely contested game by a final score of 31-30.The name "Catholics vs...
", #1 Miami pulled to within 1 point with a touchdown with less than 1 minute to go in the 4th quarter, making the score 31-30. Miami coach Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)
James William "Jimmy" Johnson is an American former NCAA and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for Fox NFL Sunday, the Fox network's NFL pregame show. He was the first football coach whose teams won both an NCAA Division 1A National Championship and a...
made the decision to go for the two-point conversion, and called for a pass play to the right corner of the endzone. Terrell batted away Steve Walsh's pass at the last possible instant, sealing the victory for the Irish, and helping them roll onward to a 12-0 season and the national crown.