A “Hail Mary” pass in football is a “prayer” of a long pass that is thrown, usually on a team’s last down and in the final seconds of a period. The defense is expecting this long pass play, and defends the end zone with many players to prevent a touchdown. The “Hail Mary” pass is usually batted down by the defense and is incomplete, or it’s intercepted by the defense. The “Hail Mary” pass is a play with a low percentage of success, but the offensive team is desperate and has no other choice.
 
On November 24, 2023 (“Black Friday”), the New York Jets played at home against the Miami Dolphins. Miami was leading the Jets, 10-6, as the first half was coming to a close. Jets quarterback Tim Boyle threw the “Hail Mary” pass, and it was intercepted by Miami safety Jevon Holland, who ran the ball back 99 yards for the defensive touchdown. The failed “Hail Mary” pass was immediately dubbed the “Fail Mary” and the “Hell Mary.”
 
“Fail Mary” had been used before, in 2011 and 2012. The Wikipedia page for “Fail Mary” dates the term to an NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks on September 24, 2012,  but X/Twitter contains earlier citations. “Hell Mary” had scattered earlier use on X/Twitter, and for these reasons, the Jets play is usually referred to as coining only “Hell Mary.”
 
Other famous/infamous New York Jets football terms include the “Butt Fumble” (2012), the “Fake Spike” (1994) and the “Mud Bowl” (1983),
 
 
Wikipedia: Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass is a very long forward pass in American football, typically made in desperation, with an exceptionally small chance of achieving a completion. Due to the difficulty of a completion with this pass, it makes reference to the Catholic “Hail Mary” prayer for strength and help.
 
Wikipedia: Fail Mary
The Fail Mary, also known as the Inaccurate Reception or the Intertouchdownception, was the final play of an American football game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) that occurred on September 24, 2012, at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. In a nationally televised game on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, the Seahawks defeated the Packers, 14–12, in controversial fashion.
         
X/Twitter
Brandon Turpin
@turpy
@turkishsoccer
its called a hail mary! Not hell mary! =)
2:03 PM · Sep 12, 2009
     
X/Twitter
Susie Fierce (she/her)
@SusieFierce
@alohaPF
I totally agree. That was the desperation move of all desperation moves. Hail Mary = Fail Mary
8:00 PM · Nov 17, 2010
 
X/Twitter
Jonesy
@KofSurp
fail mary- a hail mary towards failure
2:39 AM · Sep 20, 2011 from Gates-North Gates, NY
 
X/Twitter
Nadezhda Paris
@naughtyaperez
@jemelehill Hail Mary turned Fail Mary for Big Ben. #JesusBeAnInterception
4:00 PM · Oct 2, 2011
 
X/Twitter
Steve Outlaw
@MikeSavage610
@RJBPHILLY he called tony romos hail mary that went out bounds and got picked at the end “fail mary”
1:07 AM · Oct 20, 2011
 
X/Twitter
Codi Hanlon
@CodsterHanlon
Haha flacco trying to make a hail mary but it ended up a fail mary.
4:23 PM · Jan 22, 2012
   
X/Twitter
Rael James
@raeljames
#superbowl #nfl Manning to Manningham, Bradshaw with a bad score. Brady with a hail mary, ends as a fail mary.
10:26 PM · Feb 5, 2012
 
X/Twitter
Gigante
@NYG_Brazil
HAIL MARY VS FAIL MARY http://wp.me/p2e51Q-4H via
@wordpressdotcom
3:05 PM · Feb 21, 2012
   
X/Twitter
AB
@Geeedup
Instead of it being called the Hail Mary pass it should be called the Hell Mary pass
@MikeandMike
#horrible #NFL
9:52 AM · Sep 25, 2012
 
X/Twitter
Jack Russell
@jackrussell0906
Hail Mary ?  Or, Hell Mary, turn on the TV, the Packers just won it ?
12:48 AM · Dec 4, 2015
   
X/Twitter
kaydra
@kaydraanne
ps - i know it’s hail mary but since in TN football, hell mary is more suitable
5:59 PM · Sep 29, 2018
 
X/Twitter
1265 Lombardi Guy (Owner)
@1265lombardiguy
Fail Mary lol
4:26 PM · Nov 24, 2023
   
X/Twitter
Stephen Andress
@StephenAndress1
FAIL MARY
4:26 PM · Nov 24, 2023
   
X/Twitter
Ryan
@pladinosaur
Fail Mary
4:26 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter 
Todd Hallidy
@ToddHallidy
When the Hail Mary becomes a Hell Mary.
4:27 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Lorenzo Cortes ✈️
@Hoyatexas
A HELL, MARY!
@natmartinezzz
@NationWideNolan
@ByKellyCohen
@dave_crave
@ariellec
4:27 PM · Nov 24, 2023
     
X/Twitter
ProFootballTalk
@ProFootballTalk
That’s the Oh Hell Mary.
4:27 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Clayton Gray
@claytongrayfbg
Hell Mary for the Jets.
4:27 PM · Nov 24, 2023
     
X/Twitter
KFC
@KFCBarstool
The Buttfumble on Thanksgiving to the Fail Mary on Black Friday. THE GODDAMN JETS ALWAYS RUIN THIS HOLIDAY
4:35 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Jeff Capellini
@JCapGLJ
So, just to summarize, we have:
 
The Mud Bowl
The Fake Spike
The Bubby Shovel Pass
The Butt Fumble
The Fail Mary

What am I missing? C’mon guys, I know there are dozens more. Stop sulking. Twitter is fun, lol. #Jets #TakeFlight
5:36 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Senior Member of Tuanon.
@THEDavidMarcus
“The Hell Mary” is such a good name for the halftime ender wow. Props to the guy on here who thought of that.
5:51 PM · Nov 24, 2023
   
X/Twitter
Brett Friedman
@pistachio_deez
Hell Mary > Fail Mary
5:51 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Barstool Sports
@barstoolsports
Jets Make Black Friday A Nightmare By Throwing A Fail Mary https://barstoolsports.com/blog/3494611/jets-make-black-friday-a-nightmare-by-throwing-a-fail-mary
6:15 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Eddie Lillo - The NYI (10-7-7) should #FireLambert
@robdeleduardo
Fail Mary already happened; Packers vs Seahawks in 2012
This is the Hell Mary.
6:20 PM · Nov 24, 2023
   
X/Twitter
David Folk Thomas
@DFT212
(Reply to Todd Hallidy.—ed.)
I tried scrolling back… you may be the very first person on X who referred to the Jets botched hail Mary at the end of the first half as as the Hell Mary. If so, you deserve credit because it would appear that moniker is sticking! #Jets #HellMary
6:26 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Richard Pickleball - Dems must vote
@RichPickleball
NY Jets attempted a Hail Mary at the end of the first half, but it was returned 99 yards for a Miami Dolphin TD to turn the Hail Mary into a Hell Mary for NY.
Quote
NFL
@NFL
·
Nov 24
Jevon Holland’s Hail Mary Pick-6, @NextGenStats edition.
Garrett Wilson traveled 176.4 yards on the play
6:44 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
X/Twitter
John Walters
@jdubs1966
What are we going with?
Hell Mary?
Fail Mary?
Holland TunnelVision?
6:59 PM · Nov 24, 2023
 
Jets “Fail Mary” Sums up Black Friday Loss to Dolphins
John Chandler
Nov 24, 2023
The New York Jets started quarterback Tim Boyle for the benched Zach Wilson and still struggled through a 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the NFL’s first Black Friday game. Boyle’s Hail Mary pass just before the half was intercepted and returned 99 yards for a touchdown by Dolphins safety Jevon Holland.
 
X/Twitter
Phil Orlando
@philorlando22
The “Hell Mary” #JetsVsDolphins
(Video is shown.—ed.)
From follow @aryepulli
12:19 AM · Nov 25, 2023
   
X/Twitter
Miami Dolphins FINATICS
@Finaticscom
Holland’s brilliant 99 yard interception return, should we call it
a) “Hell Mary”
b) “Fail Mary”
? #FinsUp
10:18 AM · Nov 25, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Lisa I’m Fighting Cancer for you mom
@finatic1972
Never saw a Hail Mary go the opposite way until yesterday!!!
NOW KNOWN AS HELL MARY!!
8️⃣ ☃️ Jevon Holland, AKA
@quickdrawjev
will be connected forever with 1st EVER #BlackFriday Game!!!
Coincidence or not, our Miami Dolphins now☃️-3!
#FinsUp babyeee
0:00 / 0:07
From Miami Dolphins
1:48 PM · Nov 25, 2023 from New Jersey, USA
   
X/Twitter
STEMNASTICS LLC.
@stem_nastics
From ‘Butt Fumble’ to ‘Hell Mary,’ Jets can’t outrun own misery in another late-season collapse https://usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/11/24/jets-hell-mary-dolphins-butt-fumble/71696622007/ via
@usatoday
3:21 PM · Nov 25, 2023
 
X/Twitter
vsnyper
@vans12njinca
What was the final call on the name?  The fail Mary or hell Mary?
6:52 PM · Nov 25, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Nick
@notelimanning10
The Fail Mary was already coined in 2012 during the backup refs. Stop trying.
This is now the Hell Mary. Already being used mainstream too.
6:52 PM · Nov 25, 2023