The Play That Made Mark Bavaro a Giants Legend Still Holds Up 40 Years Later

On a prime-time stage at Candlestick Park, the Giants tight end dragged Ronnie Lott 17 yards and seven defenders with him — and sparked a dynasty in the process.

Jan 25, 1987; Pasadena, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro (89) warms up on the field prior to Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos at the Rose Bowl. The Giants defeated the Broncos 39-20. | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

Tight end Mark Bavaro, an integral part of the New York Giants’ 1986 championship team that’s celebrating the 40th anniversary this year, became an instant legend with one single play.

It came during an iconic catch-and-run during a prime-time game in Week 13 at San Francisco.  The Giants (10-2) headed into Candlestick Park attempting to assert themselves as the team to beat in the NFC, but faced a 17-0 deficit early in the third quarter.

On 2nd-and-10 from the Niners' 49, quarterback Phil Simms tossed a 9-yard pass over the middle to Bavaro, who fought off seven defenders and dragged Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott 17 yards along the way for a 31-yard gain.

The spark opened a barrage of 21 unanswered points that resulted in the team's sixth consecutive victory on the way to capturing its first Lombardi Trophy.

The reception, voted No. 81 on the NFL's 100 Greatest Plays (as selected in 2019), was just a small part of the value the 6-foot-4, 245-pound Notre Dame alumnus brought to the Giants during his career.

He was the one every hard-working Big Blue fan connected with, and the player they considered the heart and soul of the team—even if Bavaro remained virtually quiet with the media during his injury-shortened career.

His blocking prowess, ability to run through and/or drag defenders, and propensity to make clutch catches on a team without high-profile wide receivers also made him a favorite of his teammates and head coach Bill Parcells.

Bavaro earned All-Rookie honors in 1985, All-Pro honors in 1986-87, and won two Super Bowls over five seasons with the Giants. And there would have been many more accolades had it not been for a career-threatening knee injury he suffered in 1989.

In truth, many players would simply settle for the number of highlights Bavaro produced for the 1986 Super Bowl champions, a season in which he became just the sixth tight end in NFL history to receive at least one vote for the league's MVP award.

Simms made the second-year pro his favorite target, resulting in career highs of 66 catches and 1,001 yards (to go with four touchdowns).

Bavaro posted 100-yard games against the then-Los Angeles Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and Washington.

He also grabbed a touchdown pass in the playoffs vs. San Francisco, and in the Super Bowl XXI win over Denver, proving himself indispensable to a Super Sunday that still holds a cherished place in franchise history.

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