Four decades later, Drew Pearson has, of all things, a Vikings helmet autographed by Fran Tarkenton sitting in his home office in Plano, Texas.
It was Pearson who on Dec. 28, 1975 caught the game-winning Hail Mary pass from Roger Staubach in the waning seconds of an NFC divisional playoff game, allowing the Dallas Cowboys to beat Minnesota 17-14 on an overcast 27-degree afternoon at Metropolitan Stadium.
"Drew, you were the greatest clutch receiver of all time. Your Hail Mary catch changed the world,'' reads the inscription on the helmet from Tarkenton, the hall of fame Vikings quarterback.