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What happened when the black cat ran onto the field?
The incident took place during the Cowboys–Giants Week 9 Monday Night Football game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants were in possession and leading Dallas 9–3 when officials stopped play after a black cat appeared on the field with 5:32 remaining in the second quarter.
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Stadium workers and New Jersey State troopers tried to guide the cat away from the playing surface. Instead of leaving immediately, it ran toward the end-zone area, moved along the end line, and eventually disappeared through a tunnel or beneath a seating section. Reports described the delay as lasting approximately two minutes. NFL coverage of the incident recorded the unusual interruption and the cat’s route across the field.
The cat was never publicly identified by name. MetLife Stadium reportedly had resident stray cats, and stadium officials said the animal had gone beneath a seating section and would be taken to a veterinarian if it could be safely captured. That is why the most accurate description is simply a black cat—not a named mascot, a fan’s pet, or an officially recognized team animal. An NFL follow-up report discussed how cats could access the stadium grounds.
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Who called the cat’s appearance?
Kevin Harlan called it for Westwood One’s national radio broadcast. He was not calling the ESPN television broadcast. ESPN’s crew that night consisted of Joe Tessitore on play-by-play, Booger McFarland as analyst, and Lisa Salters on the sideline. The Cowboys’ local radio team was also different: Brad Sham handled play-by-play with Babe Laufenberg as analyst. The official NFL gamebook identifies the game and its broadcast crews.
That distinction matters because the viral audio was Harlan’s radio narration. He treated the cat’s movement as if it were a live athletic sequence, using the urgency, timing, and escalating rhythm normally reserved for a breakaway run or a touchdown. His description transformed an interruption with no sporting significance into compelling radio.
Why Kevin Harlan’s call became so memorable
Radio play-by-play depends on giving listeners a clear mental picture of something they cannot see. Harlan immediately supplied one: there was a cat on the field, it was moving through traffic, and the situation was developing in real time. Rather than treating the delay as dead air, he made the cat the subject of the broadcast.
The humor came from the contrast. A professional football game had suddenly become a live chase involving stadium staff, police officers, and a small black cat. Harlan’s delivery remained focused and dramatic even though the “play” was completely unscripted. He also worked a CDW sponsor reference into the description, a detail that helped demonstrate how quickly an experienced broadcaster could improvise while keeping the broadcast moving. Contemporary coverage circulated the audio as an example of Harlan turning an unexpected interruption into entertainment. The contemporary report and Westwood One audio discussion identify Harlan as the voice behind the call.
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“There was a cat on the field” became the defining setup for the moment, after Westwood One Sports circulated the audio.
The call worked because it had the essential ingredients of good live commentary:
- Immediate recognition: Harlan quickly told listeners what had changed.
- Visual detail: He narrated where the cat was going rather than merely mentioning that it existed.
- Rising tension: His delivery made the cat’s progress feel like a developing play.
- Timing: He allowed the absurdity of the situation to land without overexplaining it.
- Improvisation: Nothing about the cat’s appearance was planned, yet the commentary sounded purposeful.
Did the cat score a touchdown?
No. The “touchdown” language came from jokes, edited images, memes, and playful headlines. The cat did not score, receive an official statistic, or become a football player. The official gamebook records the episode as a game delay, not a scoring play. The official gamebook is the appropriate source for the game’s formal record.
It is also inaccurate to say that the cat was officially the Giants’ or Cowboys’ mascot. The animal became a viral sports-media character because of the broadcast, not because either team adopted or owned it.
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Did the cat cause the Giants to lose?
That was the joke, not a demonstrated fact. New York led 9–3 when the cat appeared, but Dallas ultimately won 37–18. The Cowboys outscored the Giants 34–9 after the interruption, which made it easy for fans and commentators to treat the cat as a bad omen for New York.
There is no evidence that the cat caused the result. The Giants’ loss was a football outcome, while the “black-cat curse” was a humorous narrative created after the fact. The coincidence was simply perfect for social media: an animal interrupted the game, the team in front eventually lost, and the radio call made the moment unusually entertaining.
Where did the cat go?
The cat ran toward the end zone before leaving the field through a tunnel or under a seating section. It was not captured during the interruption, and no public name was established. Stadium officials indicated that they would try to get the cat to a veterinarian if it could be safely caught.
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How the moment became a meme
After the game, the cat appeared in edited images, videos, jokes, and social-media posts portraying it as a player, a touchdown scorer, or a supernatural explanation for the Giants’ collapse. The NFL, the Giants, CBS, Sports Illustrated, and other outlets preserved or discussed the footage and audio.
The safest way to describe the event is that a black cat became a viral sports-broadcast sensation. It was not an official mascot, a recorded player, or a team-owned animal. The enduring star of the episode was arguably Harlan’s narration: the cat supplied the unexpected action, but the commentator supplied the story that people kept sharing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the radio version mattered more than the television broadcast
Television viewers could see the cat for themselves, but radio listeners needed Harlan to build the scene from sound alone. That constraint gave the moment its distinctive form. He had to describe the animal’s movement clearly while also reacting to the crowd, the officials, and the players waiting for play to resume.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsOn television, the camera could simply follow the cat. On radio, Harlan had to make listeners feel that they were following it. His performance shows why live radio can produce memorable moments even when the central event is outside the sport itself: the broadcaster’s words become the audience’s picture.
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Can I watch or listen to the original clip?
Contemporary coverage and official or team-related pages circulated versions of the video and radio audio. However, the existence of a video on a third-party platform does not automatically mean that the upload is authorized. NFL, ESPN, Westwood One, AP, and other rights holders may control portions of the footage or broadcast.
If you are looking for the moment, use an official NFL, Giants, Westwood One, or other rights-holder page where available, and avoid downloading or republishing the clip without permission. A written account can describe the incident, but embedding or redistributing broadcast material requires attention to the applicable rights.
The accurate short version
- A black cat ran onto the field during Cowboys–Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 4, 2019.
- The Giants led 9–3 when play was stopped with 5:32 left in the first half.
- The cat moved toward the end zone and left after a delay of about two minutes.
- Kevin Harlan delivered the memorable call for Westwood One radio.
- ESPN’s television crew and the Cowboys’ local radio crew were different broadcasts.
- Dallas won 37–18, but the cat did not cause the Giants’ loss or score an official touchdown.
- The cat’s name, ownership, and ultimate fate were not publicly established.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Kevin Harlan calling the ESPN broadcast?
No. Harlan was calling Westwood One’s national radio broadcast. ESPN’s television crew was Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland, and Lisa Salters.
What was the cat’s name?
The cat was not publicly identified by name. Reports described it as a black cat and noted that MetLife Stadium had resident stray cats.
How long did the cat delay the game?
The interruption lasted approximately two minutes.
Did the cat really score a touchdown?
No. That was a joke and metaphor. The official gamebook records a game delay, not a scoring play.
The Bottom Line
The black cat’s appearance was a brief, unscripted interruption during the November 4, 2019 Cowboys–Giants game. Kevin Harlan’s Westwood One radio call made it unforgettable by narrating the cat’s escape with the drama of a football play. Dallas later won 37–18, but the cat was neither an official player nor the cause of the Giants’ defeat.
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