An oral history of the amazing DeAndre Hopkins Hail Mary catch: ‘It was crazy’

DeAndre Hopkins made a catch that we’ll be watching for decades.

He snagged a Hail Mary over three Buffalo Bills to secure a 32-30 win for Arizona at State Farm Stadium, jumpstarting a playoff push for the Cardinals.

“A win like this,” Hopkins said, “it gives a team like us a lot of motivation. We’re real hungry … A win like this, it just gives a team a boost.”

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) walks onto the field to warm up before playing against the Buffalo Bills at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Nov. 15, 2020.

 (Photo: Michael Chow, Michael Chow/The Republic)

If the Cardinals had lost, they would have been on a two-game skid with four days to prepare for a Thursday night game at Seattle. They would have gone from a 5-2 start that had everybody thinking playoffs to a 5-4 breakdown that had everybody thinking “here we go again.”

Instead, all we’re talking about is the “Grab in Glendale” the “Stunner at State Farm” the “Buffalo Backbreaker” the  … ah, hell, let’s just call it for what it was, the best catch of his career.

“This one is No. 1,” Hopkins said. “It was to win the game, no question.”

Buffalo had to have felt like they had the play covered.

“It was on three people,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins doesn’t show much emotion. (If he doesn’t play poker he ought to start.) But let’s just say it was clear that he knew he had done something amazing. He just wasn’t surprised by it, and he’s wasn’t about to be fake and pretend like he was.

“They were in position,” he said. “It was just a better catch by I.”

Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins (10) catches a game-winning touchdown catch over Bill’s Tre’Davious White (27) and Micah Hyde (23) with 2 seconds lett in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Nov. 15, 2020.

 (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

And if anyone makes DeAndre Hopkins T-shirts, that should be on the front, back and sleeves.

“In basketball terminology,” he said, “they just got dunked on.”

All we needed was for TNT NBA analyst Kenny Smith to parachute onto the field through the hole in the stadium’s roof just so he could scream “IT’S OVER! IT’S OVER!” 

To set up the improbable pulldown, the Cardinals had been having a rotten game.

Kenyan Drake went the wrong way on one play, he had a false start on another and then he lost a fumble.

Larry Fitzgerald had a first-down catch called back on a penalty, and he had a ball thrown low and behind him that bounced off his hands, wrists, forearms and chest (the ball seemed to hit everything in the stadium except the grass) before it popped into the hands of a Buffalo defender.  

Bills fans react to a late touchdown against the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Nov. 15, 2020.

 (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

And with a chance to put the game away late in the fourth quarter, the offense went three-and-out twice in a row. All the Cardinals needed to do was milk the clock. But that’s not what happened. On one drive, Kyler Murray turned a third-and-1 into a fourth-and 6. And on another he threw two incomplete passes and took a sack in 56 seconds.

Buffalo then went 76 yards to score a go-ahead touchdown with 39 seconds left.

It looked bad. It was bad. Arizona was about to lose another close game despite a lead in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals offense got the ball on their 25 with 32 seconds left in the game.

Kyler Murray found Andy Isabella for 14 yards. Time out.

Murray found Hopkins for 9. Time out.

Murray found Fitzgerald for another 9. After the catch, Fitzgerald stepped out of bounds to stop the clock.

Cardinals fans react after a pass breakup against the Bills at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Nov. 15, 2020.

 (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

And with about 11 seconds left it got interesting. The Cardinals were on the Buffalo 43. Murray took the shotgun snap, rolled left, made a guy miss and heaved it toward the end zone.

“As funny as it sounds, all I saw was Hop,” he said.

Sometimes a moment or two feels like an eternity — like when a Hail Mary heave is in the air.  

Murray knew he made a good throw.

“I knew when it left my hand that it had a chance,” he said.

Hopkins knew he was in the right spot.

Cardinals fans react as the team loses the lead late in the fourth quarter against the Bills at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Nov. 15, 2020.

 (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic)

“Coming down with it, that’s what I’m thinking about,” Hopkins said.

“I never panic when the ball is in the air,” he said.

He stayed calm, like he always does, like this wasn’t the biggest moment of the Arizona season, like this wasn’t the biggest moment of Kyler Murray’s young career, like this wasn’t about to be the signature play of the Murray to Hopkins connection.

But he was relaxed.

“Staying calm,” he said.

“If I can get my hands on the ball, I’m coming down with it.”

He did. But there was a delay before anyone could process what happened.

Murray, who was off balance when he threw the ball, never saw what happened.

“I just got the reaction from everybody,” he said.

It was pandemonium.

“All they saw was black gloves,” Murray said. “It was a group of people (three Buffalo defenders and Hopkins) and all they saw was black gloves. I’m just glad he caught the ball.”

Hopkins’ teammates mobbed him in the end zone like they were a pack of hungry kindergartners and he was the last piece of Halloween candy.

The party didn’t stop in the locker room.

“It was crazy,” Hopkins said. “A lot of excitement.”

We’re going to be watching that catch on replays for a long, long time. But his teammates seem to be getting used to amazing things from their new star.

“D. Hop,” Cardinals safety Budda Baker said, “has got that X-factor.”

Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @SayingMoore.

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