NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It's been over 16 years since the Music City Miracle, but on average, Kevin Dyson still gets asked about the play on a daily basis.
At the NFL's Digital Media Summit in downtown Nashville on Wednesday, the former Titans receiver relived the moment once again with Titans play-by-play man Mike Keith before staffers from all 32 teams.
Later, Dyson pondered a big "What if?" What if the historic play took place in today's social media-crazed world?
"It probably would've shut down Twitter,'' Dyson said with a smile. "There's no telling how many comments, pictures, and video angles there would've been from all over the stadium. I probably would've gotten 200,000 followers instantly. So many Snapchats would've been out there. It would've been crazy."
Roughly 270 staffers -- 140 from NFL clubs, along with league guests and partners – are in town this week for the fifth annual meetings.
During this morning's session, Dyson and Keith discussed the historic play from January 8, 2000.
On that day, in the final moments of the 1999 season's Wild Card playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, then-Titans fullback Lorenzo Neal fielded a kickoff, and handed the ball to tight end Frank Wycheck. With the ball in his hands, Wycheck took a few steps to his right before turning around and slinging the ball across the field to Dyson, who did the rest.
In one of the most improbable endings in NFL history, Dyson raced 75 yards for the game-winning touchdown in a 22-16 win.
Titans Online looks back at one of the greatest plays in NFL history - the "Music City Miracle" - in Tennessee's 22-16 AFC Wild Card victory over the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 8, 2000 at LP Field.
"It would have been the top trend on Twitter. We would have had a #MusicCityMiracle,'' said George Scott, General Manager/Vice President of Digital Media for the NFL. "And, of course, Dyson would be picking up followers left and right.
"A play like that happens and they are sharing that moment across Instagram, Facebook. You're familiar with the crying Jordan (meme), right? Well, it would be on someone on the Bills."
Keith, the Voice of the Titans since the team moved to Tennessee, said if the social media explosion would've taken place 16 years earlier, the famous shot of quarterback Steve McNair's facial expression on the sideline might've become Twitter's face for surprises, much like Michael Jordan's face has been superimposed when something disappointing happens.
"The ultimate sideline shot is the Steve McNair shocked face, and that would be on everything now,'' Keith said. "That would have been the meme. The shocked McNair face would have been on everything. If somebody didn't win a Grammy, you would get the shocked McNair face. If Donald Trump won a primary, you would get the shocked McNair face. It would be everywhere. It would've been the pre-crying Jordan."
During a 30-minute session on Wednesday morning, Keith and Dyson retold the behind-the-scenes story of the Music City Miracle before the out of town visitors.
A clip of the play was shown on two video screens, with Keith's call of the play.
Photos of an excited coach Jeff Fisher, a celebrating Wycheck, Neal and Dyson, and McNair's memorable reaction, along with photos of the crowd celebrating, rotated on the screens as Dyson and Keith discussed the play, which helped propel the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV.
It might always be remembered as the best play in franchise history.
Dyson had never practiced the play, but was called into action at the last minute because of injuries to other players.
"I get a lot of credit for scoring,'' Dyson said. "Literally, I just ran. I had the easiest job. Guys prepared for it from week one to that moment, but I get credit because I ran."
Dyson, whose Twitter handle is @KTDyson87, said he doesn't use social media regularly. He uses it to be nosy, he said with a smile.
While he concedes the buzz that goes with social media in today's world can be nice, he also acknowledged the flipside – the negativity.
"If we had social media back then like we do now,'' Dyson said, "I probably wouldn't be able to walk down the street.
"But had the draft I was in (in 1998) happened with social media like it is now, it would've been a lot of 'How did they pass on Randy Moss?' If I was thin-skinned and paid attention to that stuff … it would have to bother you."
Dyson, a first round pick by the Titans who played five seasons with the team before finishing his career with the Panthers, said he's happy with his place in history.
Just a few weeks after the Music City Miracle, Dyson was involved in another memorable moment at the end of Super Bowl XXXIV. The MCM is his favorite football topic.
"I didn't have a Hall of Fame career, but to have something that makes me relevant 16 years later, it's meaningful,'' Dyson said. "I'm in education now, and kids Google me still. It is humbling."
