Super Bowl XXX is remembered for Pittsburgh Steelers QB Neil O’Donnell’s three heartbreaking interceptions, falling to the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 in what was the franchise’s first Super Bowl loss. For one man who played in the game, another 15 minutes could’ve changed history.
“We had a good second half once we figured some things out,” former Steelers long snapper Kendall Gammon told 95.7 KCMO Monday. “We dealt with some injuries that did not help. I think if we’d played another quarter, that game might have been different. But it didn’t.”
It’s hardly the near-guarantee RB Shaun Alexander made about beating the Steelers in Super Bowl XL if that game could be replayed, but it was a sign of confidence from Gammon that Pittsburgh was closer to winning that game than perceived.
The Steelers fell into an early 10-0 hole they spent the rest of the night attempting to climb out of. Dallas scored on its first three possessions, K Chris Boniol nailing a field goal on the opening drive followed by QB Troy Aikman finding TE Jay Novacek for a short score on its next possession. Boniol hit another field goal Dallas’ third time out. Pittsburgh spent the first half driving but punting until O’Donnell hit WR Yancy Thigpen in the final 30 seconds of the second quarter to cut into the Cowboys’ lead.
It was the second half when O’Donnell became infamous. All three of his interceptions came in the final 30 minutes. Two were returned deep into Steelers’ territory to set up Cowboys touchdowns, sealing their victory.
Considering Pittsburgh’s worst moments came in the second half, Gammon’s comments are hard to square. The Steelers scored 10 fourth-quarter points and showed some signs of life, but the interceptions always kept them steps behind. It doesn’t feel like another quarter or another half was going to change things, especially with O’Donnell rattled.
Gammon holds the distinction of being one of the Steelers’ first true long snappers and the first to ever make the Pro Bowl purely in that role, earning those honors in 2004. Prior to him, the Steelers and most teams used their starting center to snap. In Pittsburgh, that was Mike Webster. But after his Steelers days were done, the team searched for a dedicated snapper. A few years later, they landed on Gammon, who snapped from 1992-1995 in Pittsburgh.
He continued for another decade through the 2006 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He never won a ring, that Cowboys loss as close as he came. And he’ll always wonder if more time could’ve made a difference.
