06/08/2026
How Important Was Nolan Cromwell's (Non) Interception?
In the third quarter of Super Bowl XIV, the Los Angeles Rams owned a slim 19-17 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was an epic upset in the making. Well, almost.
Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw did not see Los Angeles safety Nolan Cromwell (in the photo) until after he threw the ball to his intended receiver, Lynn Swann. Cromwell deftly stepped in front of Swann, and the ball came right to the Rams defensive back. It hit him in his chest...then it bounced unsecured to the Rose Bowl turf.
"That has haunted me forever," admitted Cromwell in a 2018 interview. "You wonder, what if I had caught that ball? Would it have changed the complexion of the game?"
It certainly would have changed the score of the game. Cromwell had nothing but open space ahead of him to the Steelers' end zone had he made that interception. The resulting pick-six would have given Los Angeles a 26-17 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Now I'm not saying that Cromwell's potential interception and subsequent wished-for touchdown was the most important play of Super Bowl XIV. But it was certainly one of them. If you would like to watch NFL Films' highlight film of Super Bowl XIV, click on the link below to check it out.
Here's a couple of questions for you folks: What are your memories of Cromwell's dropped pass in Super Bowl XIV? And was it as detrimental to the Rams as Jackie Smith's drop of a touchdown pass in Super Bowl XIII was to the Dallas Cowboys? I'm curious to read your responses to these questions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwhwaK9Pdkk&t=71s
