The 20 Worst Plays in NFL History That Left Fans Stunned
NFL history is filled with jaw-dropping moments—some unforgettable for their sheer brilliance, and others for their sheer disaster. We’ve all seen players, coaches, and teams make mistakes that will go down in infamy. Here’s a rundown of the 20 worst plays in NFL history that left fans, players, and analysts scratching their heads.
20. The Worst Kickoff Return Mishap
The kick is up, it’s on the way, and it’s—what? Oh no, it’s fumbled! A catastrophic kickoff return by Tannehill left his team with a 38-yard loss, setting a record for the most yards lost in a single play in NFL history. Tannehill’s misfortune was one for the record books.
19. The 18-Inch Error
A play so bad it’s hard to believe: the Bills’ blunder against the Raiders. After a failed attempt to recover a fumbled ball, the Bills gave the Raiders an easy three points by failing to scoop it up. Watching it, you almost felt bad for them—almost.
18. Deshawn Jackson’s Goal-Line Blunder
Deshawn Jackson’s infamous touchdown celebration turned disaster in one of the most embarrassing plays ever. Celebrating too early, Jackson tossed the ball backward before reaching the end zone, nullifying what would have been an easy touchdown. The touchdown was overturned, and the Eagles lost a valuable opportunity.
17. Indianapolis’ Offensive Disaster
In an absolutely bizarre play, a player from Indianapolis ended up crashing face-first into his teammate’s rear end—an incident that led to a fumble and, inevitably, a touchdown for the opposing team. Sometimes, you can’t script this stuff.
16. Shannon Sharpe and Peyton Manning Can’t Believe This Decision
The Broncos, with everything to play for, made one of the worst decisions in football history. With a minute left and all three timeouts available, they opted for a field goal attempt from an absurdly long distance and missed. It was a baffling decision that left even NFL legends like Sharpe and Manning scratching their heads.
15. The Colts’ Heartbreaking Drop
The Colts were fighting for their playoff lives when a simple pass was dropped by Goodson, effectively ending their season. The emotional aftermath showed how badly the players felt, and even though it was just one play, it haunted the Colts for the rest of the year.
14. The Interception That Everyone Still Talks About
In one of the most cringe-worthy moments in recent NFL history, a quarterback made a disastrous throw that led to an easy interception and effectively ended the game. The response from the fans? A barrage of memes and ridicule that made the player the laughing stock of the league.
13. Tom Brady’s Position Switch Gone Wrong
Tom Brady is known for his incredible passing ability, but when he tried to switch to kicker and receiver in a desperate play, it didn’t go as planned. His attempt to be the hero in a Super Bowl ended in embarrassment as his position change was as awkward as it was futile.
12. The Wind That Destroyed A Field Goal
Chicago, the Windy City, was exactly the wrong place for a field goal attempt. With gusts strong enough to affect the snap, a field goal attempt went horribly awry, blowing so far off course that it actually became a souvenir for a fan. The wind was clearly the enemy that day, but the kick was the ultimate culprit.
11. The Safety That Cost Millions
Super Bowl 48 started with a bang—but not the kind anyone wanted. On the very first play of the game, Peyton Manning was caught off guard by a snap that sailed over his head, resulting in a safety. Mark Cuban, who had bet $1 million on this improbable event, was the only one celebrating.
10. The Curse of Tony Romo
Tony Romo’s infamous botched snap in his first playoff game was a pivotal moment in his career. After leading the Cowboys to a potential game-winning field goal, Romo fumbled the snap and was unable to recover, costing his team the game. From that moment on, it was like the Cowboys were cursed.
9. The 2021 Cowboys’ Playoff Meltdown
In back-to-back playoff games, the Dallas Cowboys turned what should have been simple situations into epic failures. From not knowing how to manage the clock to failing to run out of bounds properly, it was a series of errors that led to memes and a fanbase in despair.
8. The Saints’ Last-Minute Miracle Turned Tragedy
The Saints’ incredible lateral play to score a game-tying touchdown was almost overshadowed by a shocking twist: their kicker missed the extra point. What had started as one of the most incredible plays in NFL history ended in heartbreak as the Saints were eliminated from the playoffs.
7. The AFC Championship Blunder
In a dramatic AFC Championship game between the Chiefs and Patriots, the Chiefs had the game won—until a penalty for offsides nullified an interception that would’ve sealed their victory. The Patriots, with a second chance, scored a game-winning drive, sending the Chiefs’ fans into disarray.
6. The Lions’ Missed Touchdown
In one of the most painful moments for Detroit fans, the Lions missed a game-winning touchdown with just 11 seconds left. The pass was perfect, but the receiver, Swift, couldn’t hold onto it. It was a missed opportunity that many thought could’ve changed the Lions’ fate for years.
5. Blaming God for a Drop
A player once blamed God for dropping a game-winning pass. After an error that cost his team the game, the player took to Twitter, directing his frustration at a higher power. “I Praise You 24/7, then this is how you do me?” he tweeted, making the error even more cringeworthy.
4. The Final Play Fiasco
In one of the worst endings to a game, a player lateraled the ball in desperation as time ran out, only for it to be intercepted. A last-ditch effort turned into one of the most bizarre and embarrassing plays in history.
3. The Super Bowl Disaster
In one of the most infamous Super Bowl moments, the Seahawks were just a yard away from winning the game with Marshawn Lynch in the backfield. Instead, they called a pass play—and it was intercepted. The call remains one of the most controversial decisions in NFL history.
2. The Vikings’ Heartbreaking Collapse
Alexander Madison’s nightmare performance in a close game against the Eagles became the stuff of legend—for all the wrong reasons. The fumbles, the lost yardage, and the missed opportunities cost the Vikings a chance at victory—and made Madison the target of ruthless criticism from fans.
1. The Play That Broke a Fan’s TV
And finally, the number one worst play in NFL history: a player fumbled the ball in a high-stakes game, sending his team spiraling to defeat. The fans, especially those watching at home, were so distraught that one actually broke his TV in frustration. This play was so bad that it became infamous, overshadowing everything else that season.
These are just some of the plays that haunted players, coaches, and fans alike. Each one is a reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in the NFL. Let’s hope these mistakes remain as some of the worst—because, as we know, the NFL can be unforgiving.
