John Smith (American Football) - The Snowplow Game and John Lennon's Death

The Snowplow Game and John Lennon's Death

Smith is perhaps most famous for kicking the only points in the Snowplow Game, played 12 December 1982 in a snow storm at Foxboro Stadium. Convict Mark Henderson, released for a weekend work program, cleared the way with his snowplow for Smith to beat the Miami Dolphins and enter football lore. Two years earlier against Miami on 8 December 1980, Smith was getting ready to attempt a potential game-winning field goal when Howard Cosell announced to the Monday Night Football television audience that John Lennon (who had appeared on MNF six years before as a guest in the booth) had just been assassinated. (Smith's kick was blocked, however, and Miami won the game in overtime.) The clip of John Smith preparing to kick is shown with his record for the 1980 season whenever the story is told of the Monday Night Football game announcement of Lennon's death.

Smith led the NFL in scoring in 1979 and 1980. In 1982, Smith injured his right knee (on his non-kicking leg) and underwent arthroscopic surgery; he retired after the 1983 season as the second-highest scoring player in Patriots history, behind Gino Cappelletti.