“I am dead serious,” Rashad replied. He added, “Either I will be the happiest person in the world or the biggest turkey on national television.”

After ending his conversation with Rashad, Costas turned to his in-studio sideman, Pete Axthelm, who was genuinely stunned by Rashad’s bravado, and asked the question on everyone’s mind:

“She’ll say yes, won’t she?”

America waited with bated breath as the Jets and the Lions played the first half. Detroit dominated, with two touchdown passes from Eric Hipple leading to a 17-3 halftime lead over the favored Jets. (Detroit went on to win, 31-20.) But to most fans, the on-field action was of secondary interest compared with whether Ayers-Allen would accept her boyfriend’s offer.

Rashad knew he had tiptoed way out onto a ledge. He later told People that if Ayers-Allen had rejected his proposal, “it probably would have been like the movie ‘Network’: I would have told everybody to stay tuned ’cause at the end of the show I’m going to blow my brains out.”

An intern was duly sent to find Ayers-Allen and escort her to the NBC studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Dressed in a frilly yellow blouse, the ordinarily elegant and serene Ayers-Allen seemed a bit overwhelmed to be sitting next to Costas on the set of a football halftime show. Highlights of the game were swiftly dispensed with in order to get to the matter at hand.

Rashad appeared on camera from Michigan and began sweating mightily. He tried to wipe his face down with a tissue but left some detritus on his chin.

“The man is falling apart,” Costas teased. “In the days prior to the proposal, he was easily one of the coolest, most suave guys around the National Football League. He’s a mess now!”

Costas then turned to Ayers-Allen and, playing the role of John Alden, asked her if she accepted Rashad’s proposal. With a finger nervously scratching at her tooth, she said, “Yes” — and then repeated it for emphasis.