The Hail Murray was a play during an American football game between the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals on November 15, . The game took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. With eleven seconds remaining in regulation play, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw a 43-yard Hail Mary pass into the end zone that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught over three Bills defenders for the game-winning touchdown. The score resulted in a 32–30 comeback victory for Arizona, who had trailed Buffalo 23–9 in the third quarter and had allowed the Bills to score a go-ahead touchdown just over 30 seconds prior. Multiple media outlets dubbed the play "Hail Murray," a play on "Hail Mary" and Kyler Murray's last name. The play, which was the first go-ahead Hail Mary in a regular season fourth quarter since the 2015 Miracle in Motown, won the NFL Play of the Year Award for the 2020 season.
Background
Coming into the game, Arizona was 5–3 and in second place in the tightly contested NFC West. Meanwhile, Buffalo was first in the AFC East at 7–2, their closest competition being the then 5–3 Miami Dolphins. The Cardinals came into the game as 2.5-point favorites.
The Bills led the game 23–9 at one point in the third quarter, but allowed Arizona to score two touchdowns and kick a field goal to make the score 26–23. With 0:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, Josh Allen threw a 21-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs to regain the lead for Buffalo. The ensuing Bills kickoff resulted in a touchback, setting up the Cardinals at their 25-yard line.
The play
Despite Buffalo's prevent defense strategy, the Cardinals advanced to the Bills' 43-yard line for a 1st and 10 following a nine-yard reception by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. After a Buffalo timeout, Arizona lined up in trips right formation for the snap with 0:11 left in regulation.
After the snap, Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins, by himself on the left side of the field, ran a go route towards the end zone while the other receivers, including Fitzgerald and Andy Isabella, ran varying levels of crossing routes. Murray took the snap and rolled to his left, evading a potential sack by Bills defensive end Mario Addison. As he was attempting to scramble forward, Bills defensive linemen Ed Oliver and Quinton Jefferson ran towards Murray in an attempt to tackle him. Murray's first read, Isabella, was not open on the play. As Sporting News and NFL Films noted, the play was not drawn up as a traditional Hail Mary due to Murray's receivers running crossing routes rather than all running straight to the end zone, but became one as Murray was forced into his desperation heave.
With no other choice, Murray threw the ball towards the end zone, as Oliver attempted to deflect the pass. The ball traveled towards Hopkins, the only receiver who had made it to the end zone. As Hopkins was attempting to catch the ball, Bills safety Jordan Poyer and cornerback Tre'Davious White tried to stop him from catching the ball by approaching him from the side and front to disrupt the play. The ball went into Hopkins' hands, and he managed to catch it above White and Poyer. Despite an attempt by safety Micah Hyde to knock the ball out of Hopkins' hands, Hopkins managed to maintain possession of the ball in the end zone, resulting in a 43-yard game-winning touchdown for the Cardinals.
Game box score
Officials
Referee: Craig Wrolstad (#4) Umpire: Ruben Fowler (#71) Down Judge: Jerry Bergman, Jr. (#91) Line Judge: David Oliver (#24) Field Judge: Aaron Santi (#50) Side Judge: Dave Hawkshaw (#107) Back Judge: Keith Ferguson (#61) Replay Official: Terri Valenti
Broadcast calls of the play
TV (CBS)
Radio (Cardinals)
Radio (Bills)
Aftermath and significance
Leading by two points with 0:02 remaining in regulation, the Cardinals took a knee on the two-point conversion to prevent the possibility of the Bills blocking an extra point attempt and returning it to the other end zone for two points, which would have tied the game. The kneel-down also meant that the Cardinals did not cover the 2.5-point betting spread. Buffalo attempted a hook and ladder play on the ensuing kickoff, but was unsuccessful, securing the Cardinals' 32–30 win. This game marked just the second game in the last 60 years to feature two go-ahead touchdown passes within the final 40 seconds of the game.