Everson Walls says ‘The Catch’ is keeping him out of Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor
On the 40th anniversary of “The Catch,” one of the most iconic plays in NFL history and the most famous play in the history of the rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, cornerback Everson Walls wants to set the record straight.
Walls is often portrayed as the loser and villain because he was covering 49ers receiver Dwight Clark when he reached to the heavens to catch a pass from Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in the waning moments of a 28-27 victory over the Cowboys in the NFC Championship on Jan. 10, 1982.
It was a play and game that catapulted the 49ers to the first of four Super Bowl titles in the 1980s.
And it signaled the eventual end of a Cowboys dynasty as it was the second of three straight conference title game losses that led to legendary coach Tom Landry being fired after the 1988 season.
But Walls was far from a villain and a loser, and the outcome didn’t reflect how well he and the Cowboys defense played in that game.
The Cowboys forced six turnovers that day and Walls had two interceptions and recovered a fumble to cap a sensational rookie season that saw him set a team record with 11 interceptions — a mark that went unmatched by anyone in the NFL for 40 years until Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs did it this season.
Walls went on to a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration. He was a three-time All-Pro who led the NFL in interceptions three times (1981, ’82 and ’85). He won a Super Bowl title with the New York Giants in 1990.
But all anyone wants to talk about is “The Catch,” and he believes it has not only kept him out of the Hall of Fame but also the Cowboys’ hallowed Ring of Honor, Walls told reporters Monday.
Walls said he has to keep defending himself as the defense played so well that day.
“We did all we could to shut down Joe Montana with six turnovers,” Walls said. “It was a great defensive performance by both teams.”
Even though Walls knew he was not solely responsible for the Cowboys losing to the 49ers, “The Catch” served as motivation for him throughout his career.
And when he finally got a chance to play in the Super Bowl with the New York Giants following the 1990 season, he made sure “they were not blaming this one on me.” Walls had a game-sealing tackle and his celebration made the cover of Sports Illustrated.
“The Catch” has even more significance on its 40th anniversary because the Cowboys and 49ers are renewing their playoff rivalry once again in the NFC wild card game Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
The teams have met in the playoffs seven times with six of the previous matchups coming in the NFC title game with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
“This game is going to be just as epic,” Walls said.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
