Former NFL tight end Frank Wycheck, who made the initial lateral in the Tennessee Titans’ famous ‘Music City Miracle’ game, died at the age of 52.
Wycheck’s family confirmed he died Saturday after a fall at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Wycheck was a sixth-round draft pick by Washington in 1993 after playing collegiately at Maryland. He played for two seasons in Washington before joining the Houston Oilers in 1995 and moving with them to Tennessee two years later.
Wycheck developed into a trusted receiver for quarterback Steve McNair as the Titans made the playoffs four times in a five-year span from 1999-2003, including an appearance in Super Bowl 34.
MUSIC CITY MIRACLE: How Frank Wycheck became an unlikely hero
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Wycheck was also a valuable contributor on special teams, never more so than in the wild-card playoff round of the 1999 season.
With Tennessee trailing the Buffalo Bills 16-15 and set to receive a kickoff with 16 seconds left to play, Wycheck played a crucial role in the Titans’ improbable game-winning score − taking a handoff from fullback Lorenzo Neal and making an across-the-field lateral to speedy wideout Kevin Dyson.
Dyson then sprinted 75 yards down the sideline for a touchdown that gave Tennessee a 22-16 victory.
Given new life after being so close to elimination, the Titans went on a roll − defeating the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars to reach the Super Bowl.
Wycheck played a total of 11 years in the NFL, being named to the Pro Bowl three times and finishing his career with 505 receptions for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns.
