Super Bowl Moments
Here are 12 key moments that you may have missed during the Super Bowl XLVIII broadcast. Reuters

Super Bowl XLVIII may not have gone exactly as expected, but the broadcast wasn’t without its share of memorable moments.

Tens of millions of people around the world tuned in to watch the Seattle Seahawks demolish the Denver Broncos, 43-8. A botched snap on the first play of the game resulted in a Broncos safety—a harbinger of what was to come for a Broncos offense that turned the ball over four times against the vaunted Seahawks defense.

Still, the game’s result was only part of the story on Sunday—the day featured several notable commercials, hilarious faux pas, and viral moments. Here’s our roundup of the 12 moments you may have missed during the coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII.

The Coin Toss/Joe Namath’s Fur Coat

It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl without an appearance from NFL legend “Broadway” Joe Namath, and the former Jets quarterback did not disappoint on Sunday. The 72-year-old wore a fur jacket that launched a thousand memes, drawing comparisons to everyone from Macklemore to the Ikea monkey. Namath nearly botched the coin toss, too—he threw the coin into the air without waiting for the referee’s signal. Keep being you, Joe.

The Botched Snap/Safety

It didn’t take long for the Broncos to fall behind on Sunday. Manny Ramirez, Denver’s normally reliable center, botched a shotgun snap to Peyton Manning, launching the ball over the quarterback’s head and into the Broncos end zone. Denver fell on the ball, but the damage was done—the safety gave Seattle a quick two-point lead, as well as the game’s next possession.

Botched Snap
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning talks to center Manny Ramirez (left) after a botched snap resulted in a safety. Reuters

Malcolm Smith’s Pick-Six

By the end of the second quarter, the Broncos already trailed Seattle 15-0, but quarterback Peyton Manning was working hard to get his team back in the game. The 37-year-old led Denver into Seahawks territory, but a hard hit from Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril caused one of Manning’s passes to flutter into the waiting hands of linebacker Malcolm Smith, who returned the interception for a touchdown. Smith was later named the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII.

Malcolm Smith
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith (bottom center) was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII. Reuters

Percy Harvin’s Kickoff Return Touchdown

Let’s face it—by the start of the second half, the Broncos’ prospects of winning Super Bowl XLVIII were already looking pretty grim. But Seahawks offensive extraordinaire Percy Harvin’s kick return for touchdown to start the second half gave Seattle a 29-0 lead and all but assured their victory.

Percy Harvin
Seattle Seahawks star Percy Harvin started off the second half by returning a kickoff for a touchdown. Reuters

Hillary Clinton Wins Twitter

The Super Bowl invariably results in a Twitter frenzy, but former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s tweet stole the show. “It’s so much more fun to watch FOX when it’s someone else being blitzed & sacked! #Super Bowl,” Clinton wrote, poking fun at her status as one of FOX News’ favorite targets.

JCPenney Loses Twitter

The popular department store celebrated Super Bowl XLVIII by sending out a series of bizarre tweets from its official account. The posts, which featured countless grammatical mistakes and bad spelling, were later blamed on “tweeting with mittens.” Hey, in their defense, it could have been a brilliant marketing campaign.

Bruno Mars’ Halftime Show Performance

Grammy Award-winning artist Bruno Mars’ halftime show performance was one of the highlights of the evening. The 28-year-old crooner showed off his skill with a drum set and broke out some seriously impressive dance moves. A cameo appearance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was the perfect complement to his set.

Budweiser “Puppy Love” Commercial

In this Super Bowl spot, a small puppy befriended one of the brand’s ubiquitous Clydesdale horses with adorable results. It’s impossible to watch this commercial without cracking a smile.

Tim Tebow For T-Mobile Commercial

Free agent NFL quarterback Tim Tebow poked a bit of fun at his spotless image with a pair of hilarious ads for T-Mobile. The commercials featured Tebow saving puppies from burning buildings, completing passes on the moon, and generally being perfect in every way. We’re not sure of the ads will help Tebow land a job in the NFL, but they certainly made everyone laugh.

#ESuranceSave30

In a brilliant bit of viral marketing, Esurance tapped actor John Krasinki to announce that the company would be giving away $1.5 million to a fan who tweeted out the phrase “#ESuranceSave30.” If you logged onto Twitter after Super Bowl XLVIII, chances are that your feed was inundated by the hashtag.

9/11 “Truther” Interrupts Postgame Press Conference

A so-called 9/11 “truther” interrupted the press conference of Super Bowl XLVIII Malcolm Smith, rushing the podium and claiming the United States government was responsible for the September 11 attacks. The man was promptly arrested.

Postgame Mass Transit Nightmare

New York City’s public transportation is a nightmare under normal circumstances, so the addition of Super Bowl traffic left thousands of fans stranded around MetLife Stadium. Some fans had to wait hours to catch a train home.