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January 26, 2004
Dyson wants to write better chapter to Super Bowl tale
By John Delong | JOURNAL REPORTER
HOUSTON
Kevin Dyson can't change history.
No matter how much he'd like to, he can't go back in a time machine and replay the moment that left him forever a part of Super Bowl lore.
He'll forever be remembered as the guy who came up inches short of the goal line on the final play of Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta, when the St. Louis Rams held on to beat the Tennessee Titans.
But as Dyson prepares for a return trip to the Super Bowl as a member of the Carolina Panthers, there's one encouraging thought.
He might get a chance to add another chapter to the history books on Sunday, one with a happier ending.
"There's nothing I can do about it now," Dyson said. "But I've been thinking about it, and it would be poetic justice to get in there this time and maybe, instead of getting stopped a yard short, maybe getting into the end zone this time. If I get an opportunity again, I promise I'm going to make it."
Dyson, a wide receiver in his sixth NFL season, signed with the Panthers as a free agent last spring after spending five years with the Titans.
He's finally back to full health after suffering an Achilles tendon injury and missing the first 14 games of the season.
Ever since the Panthers won at Philadelphia to secure their first trip to the Super Bowl, Dyson has been besieged with questions about the final play in 2000.
The Titans trailed 23-16 and were driving frantically to try to pull the game out in the final seconds.
A 16-yard pass from quarterback Steve McNair to Dyson gave the Titans first-and -goal from the 10 with six seconds left, and they burned their last time out at that point.
McNair then went back to Dyson on the final play, finding him open across the middle at about the five.
Dyson quickly turned upfield and headed for the end zone, but linebacker Mike Jones came up with the game-saving tackle, grabbing Dyson by the foot as he tried to stretch out and get the ball over the goal line.
Dyson has an interesting recollection of the play.
"He made a great play, but he'd be the first one to tell you the play was made by me," Dyson said. "My momentum made the tackle. He was off-balance, and I was going forward. My momentum enabled his other arm to swing around, and he was able to get it around and grab my foot, so I couldn't get that last step."
Dyson admits that it took him a long time to accept the way things turned out.
"Especially when you've got the ball in your hands at the end of the game and you've had never failed in your life," he said. "I had always come out on top before that. I've had I don't know how many game-winning catches in college, or game-winning baskets in basketball in high school. That was really the first time I had never been successful, and it was hard to deal with.
"But you have to learn to deal with it and move on. I grew from it. It's part of who I am now, and it's built my character and it's helped make me a better football player, because I want to get in that situation again and I want to score the next time."
Dyson's character certainly helped get him through this season.
He injured his Achilles tendon in training camp and spent the first half of the season rehabilitating.
While he was sidelined, Steve Smith emerged as the Panthers' deep threat, Muhsin Muhammad solidified his spot as the other starting receiver, and Ricky Proehl established himself as a dependable third receiver.
So by the time Dyson got healthy midway through the season, there wasn't much way to work him back into the lineup.
The Panthers wound up adding him to the 53-man active roster on Nov. 23, but he didn't see his first game action until the next-to-last game of the regular season, a 20-14 win over Detroit.
He caught his only two passes of the season in that game.
He has not caught a pass in the playoffs, but he has returned two kickoffs.
"I'm pretty much 100 percent now," he said. "I've been back for a while. It's just a matter of getting opportunities right now. The thing is, you've got guys who have been successful and had great seasons, and they're used to playing the whole game. You don't want to disrupt that. I can completely understand that.
You don't mess with success."
That attitude, Smith says, speaks volumes about Dyson.
"That shows his character," Smith said. "Here's a guy who's had success and is hungry to play but hasn't had the opportunity. He doesn't gripe about it, he just comes out and works every day. It's just hard to put him where he needs to be right now, even though he's a great player. That's what happens when you get hurt sometimes. But all you can do is praise him for how he's reacting and carrying himself professionally."
Dyson is prepared for the possibility that he won't see much action on Sunday.
But he also knows that anything can happen in football, and crazy things can definitely happen in the Super Bowl.
"It's a little bittersweet," he said. "I would definitely love to be out there 80 snaps a game and contribute as much as I can. That's the bitter part of it, that I'm not playing. But the sweet part of it is, I'm getting a chance to go back to the Super Bowl. And I might get a chance to get back out there. You never know what might happen.
"And if something does happen, I'm going to be ready."
• John Delong can be reached at jdelong@wsjournal.com