Worst Calls in NFL History
The Tuck Rule Game. Elise Amendola / AP Photo
Blown calls in the NFL can be painful and even change lives.
Take the hideous tuck rule, for instance.
If referee Walt Coleman and his posse hadn’t taken that infamous rule out of mothballs, then the New England Patriots almost certainly wouldn’t have won that night. Or Super Bowl 36.
In that case, the Oakland Raiders might have been NFL champions. And Jon Gruden probably would have remained their head coach. And the Patriots might have picked Drew Bledsoe over young, inexperienced Tom Brady and his zero postseason wins at the time. And the Patriots might not have won Super Bowls 38. Or 39. Or 49. Or 51. Or 53. And Brady might not have become “Tom Terrific.” And he might have married Maggie Gyllenhaal instead of Gisele.
See what we mean?
Here are the worst calls ever in NFL history, several of which changed more than just the outcome of a game.
25. Devin Taylor’s Game-Ending Tackle That Wasn’t
Date: Dec. 3, 2015
Scene: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan, Week 13
Situation: Detroit Lions 23, Green Bay Packers 21, six seconds left in the fourth quarter, Packers ball on their 21-yard line
Final score: Packers 27, Lions 23
Bottom line: One of Aaron Rodgers’ greatest miracles never should have happened. After a 19-yard pass to James Jones followed by a pair of laterals, Devin Taylor brought down the Packers’ quarterback on what appeared to be the final play of the game.
But Taylor was flagged for a face-mask penalty that allowed for one more snap. Aaron and Richard Rodgers promptly hooked up on a 61-yard Hail Mary pass that was answered with no time on the clock.
After further review, however, Taylor had only grazed the bottom bar of the face mask with his right thumb and should not have been called for the infraction.
Afterward, league vice president of officiating Dean Blandino issued a vague response that neither confirmed nor denied that the correct call had been made.
24. Lenny Moore’s Pass Interference That Wasn’t
Date: Nov. 13, 1960
Scene: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois, Week 8
Situation: Chicago Bears 20, Baltimore Colts 17, 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Colts ball at the Bears’ 39-yard line
Final score: Colts 24, Bears 20
Bottom line: On fourth-and-14, his team in a need of a victory to keep pace in the tight West Division race, battered Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas lofted a deep ball down the right sideline.
Flanker Lenny Moore snatched it away from cornerback J.C. Caroline in the end zone, and the legend of Johnny U had another chapter.
Video replays confirmed what an angry bunch of Bears contended all along, though — “Spats” pushed off to gain separation. The football gods agreed, apparently.
The Colts never won another game that season.
23. Seferian-Jenkins’ Touchdown That Wasn’t
Date: Oct. 15, 2017
Scene: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, Week 6
Situation: Patriots 24, New York Jets 14, 8:24 left in the fourth quarter, Jets ball on the Patriots’ 4-yard line
Final score: Patriots 24, Jets 17
Bottom line: Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins took a short pass from Josh McCown, dove for the front corner of the end zone and dragged Patriots defenders Malcolm Butler and Duron Harmon with him. Down judge Patrick Turner raised his hands skyward.
Every touchdown is subject to review, and that’s when the dunderheadedness began.
After a five-minute delay, referee Tony Corrente announced that the ball had been fumbled into the end zone, and the result was a touchback, not a touchdown. True, ASJ momentarily lost control of the ball in midair when Butler hit him but clearly had regained possession before either hit the ground.
“I thought it was a B.S. call,” teammate Jermaine Kearse didn’t mince words afterward.
Rest of the story: The Patriots finished one game ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the top AFC playoff seed.
22. Russell Wilson’s Interception That Wasn’t
Date: Sept. 24, 2012
Scene: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington, Week 3
Situation: Packers 12, Seahawks 7, eight seconds left in the fourth quarter, Seahawks ball at the 49ers’ 24-yard line
Final score: Seahawks 14, Packers 12
Bottom line: As bad as NFL officials are known to be, this travesty courtesy of replacement refs reminded us how much worse the games would be without real ones.
Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson rolled to his left and tossed up a jump ball to the corner of the end zone. Wideout Golden Tate shoved cornerback Sam Shields practically to Gig Harbor, then wrestled safety M.D. Jennings for the ball. Jennings had possession first and clutched the ball to his chest the entire time. Tate refused to give up on the play, however, and he wrapped his right arm around Jennings and the ball while the two were on the turf.
The two jamokes in vertical stripes closest to the play could only look at each other. What you say? No, what say you first? Both shot their arms into the air.
After a tedious replay review, referee Wayne Elliott ruled the two players had simultaneous possession of the ball, in which case the touchdown stood.
Rest of the story: A Packers victory would have given them the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the NFC playoffs. And they would have hosted the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, a game that was lost on the road.