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Worst Call in the History of the NFL (1 Viewer)

I think the worst call I ever saw was in the a Houston Oiler Pittsburgh Seeler playoff game. It would have been 78 or 79, I think. Short TD pss by the Oilers on the edge of the end zone, close to the sideline but clearly in. Ruled incomplete. Un#######g believable. Ref right there picking his nose looking at it. I have been an advocate of replay since that day, at a tender age of 8, or maybe 9.

 
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 6— The National Football League announced today that its game officials erred on Sunday and that the Giants should have had one more play to save themselves from the second-worst collapse in league playoff history. The frustrated and tired Giants were more inflamed than relieved when the news passed through their locker room. ''It adds another level of sickness,'' quarterback Kerry Collins said. The Giants squandered a 24-point lead in the second half of Sunday's game and fell behind the San Francisco 49ers, 39-38, in their National Football Conference wild-card game. The Giants advanced into position to attempt a 41-yard field goal on third down with six seconds left. The kick was scrapped because of a bad snap, but holder Matt Allen scrambled with the ball and threw an incomplete pass downfield, near the end zone. A penalty was called on the Giants, ending the game. According to the league, a penalty should have also been called on San Francisco, and the offsetting infractions would have resulted in one more play; the Giants could have tried another field goal from the same distance. ''Everybody out there should have known the rules,'' Michael Strahan, the Giants defensive end, said.
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1986 call that went against the Jets for

to Jim Kelly. Kelly was a jerk at that time and deserved it.

 
'Runningman said:
I think the worst call I ever saw was in the a Houston Oiler Pittsburgh Seeler playoff game. It would have been 78 or 79, I think. Short TD pss by the Oilers on the edge of the end zone, close to the sideline but clearly in. Ruled incomplete. Un#######g believable. Ref right there picking his nose looking at it. I have been an advocate of replay since that day, at a tender age of 8, or maybe 9.
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It's time to let. it. go.
 
Tuck rule. I support the tuck rule, it makes sense (I suppose) but Brady's other hand touched that ball, at which time the act of a pass was over, the ball was possessed, and fumbled.

That call changed a decade of football. Crazy.

 
I still think the Calvin Johnson no catch call was a crock. The rule book and interpretations were the problem moreso then the ref though.

 
'Monsieur Meursault said:
Packers @ Seahawks 2012
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I think that was a bad call. But it's significance lies largely in the context - the replacement refs, the lockout, a weekend and game of bad calls, the fact that it decided the game, the chaos that ensued, etc.If we're speaking of an all-time list of "How on earth could the ref see that and call X?", I don't think it even merits a mention.
 
'Runningman said:
I think the worst call I ever saw was in the a Houston Oiler Pittsburgh Seeler playoff game. It would have been 78 or 79, I think. Short TD pss by the Oilers on the edge of the end zone, close to the sideline but clearly in. Ruled incomplete. Un#######g believable. Ref right there picking his nose looking at it. I have been an advocate of replay since that day, at a tender age of 8, or maybe 9.
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Yup, remember it well, Horrible call.
 
Another vote for the Trey Junkin game. A wrong call by the head ref, who refused to consult with the other referees who also threw flags on the play, eliminated a team from the playoffs. Especially since the call he made, "ineligible man downfield", revealed he didn't pay attention when he and everyone else in the stadium was told prior to the play that the player declared eligible.

 
In 2006 playoffs, Colts vs. Steelers. Troy Polamalu clearly makes an interception, but the replay booth overturned the call. NFL admitted mistake. Colts still lose when Vineteri misses FG at end.

 
'rocketsauce said:
Tuck rule. I support the tuck rule, it makes sense (I suppose) but Brady's other hand touched that ball, at which time the act of a pass was over, the ball was possessed, and fumbled. That call changed a decade of football. Crazy.
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Correct. Dumb rule, but even by the letter of the rule, the refs still got it wrong.Of course, if one wants to say that Woodson smacked Brady in the head and should have been called for Roughing, there's probably a good argument there.
 
For worst call in history, I suggest that this be separated into two eras based on whether instant replay was available. It's one thing to miss a call in real-time, but it's far worse to screw it up with the benefit of replay.

 
What about that Lions/Saints game last year, where it comes not just from a horribly bad judgment call, but a complete neglect for the rules (which were completely ignored).

Brees was hit as he threw, and one official blew the whistle, thinking it was an incomplete pass. Everyone clearly stopped playing, except a Detroit Lion who scooped it up and ran it into the endzone well after the whistle was blown.

The officials huddled and eventually decided to rule it a fumble, but the TD was taken away because the whistle blew. Only the whistle didn't just blow before the TD, it blew well before the recovery as well.

The real outcome of the play should have been a Detroit TD. Thanks to the whistle the only possible outcomes should have been an incomplete pass with the Saints retaining possession at the original LoS, or a fumble with the Saints retaining possession where the sack occurred. As it was, the ruling on the field (Lions ball but no TD) was the one and only outcome that no possible combination of rules or judgment calls could actually lead to.

 
'Rich Conway said:
'rocketsauce said:
Tuck rule. I support the tuck rule, it makes sense (I suppose) but Brady's other hand touched that ball, at which time the act of a pass was over, the ball was possessed, and fumbled.

That call changed a decade of football. Crazy.
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Correct. Dumb rule, but even by the letter of the rule, the refs still got it wrong.Of course, if one wants to say that Woodson smacked Brady in the head and should have been called for Roughing, there's probably a good argument there.
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A blow to the head of the QB was not a penalty back then.
 
'Runningman said:
I think the worst call I ever saw was in the a Houston Oiler Pittsburgh Seeler playoff game. It would have been 78 or 79, I think. Short TD pss by the Oilers on the edge of the end zone, close to the sideline but clearly in. Ruled incomplete. Un#######g believable. Ref right there picking his nose looking at it. I have been an advocate of replay since that day, at a tender age of 8, or maybe 9.
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This ones for you...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPbXWhZA_o&feature=relmfu
 
The tuck rule.

Brady had both hands on the ball for a split second so the rule that nobody knew about did not even apply.

 
'belljr said:
'texasheat said:
'belljr said:
1998 GB vs SF playoff. Jerry Rice fumble7:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1inguO24lwE
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really? In fast motion the ball may have came out .03 seconds before his knee hit. Missed call? sure, but not even close to worst in history.
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More the magnitude than the actual call. The don't blow that and GB advances in the playoffs. :shrug:
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had they reviewed that and not overturned it I would agree with you, but in those days not hard to imagine them not getting that one.
 
'DocHolliday said:
The tuck rule.Brady had both hands on the ball for a split second so the rule that nobody knew about did not even apply.
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As a Pats fan, I thought that was a fumble as well. However, that wasn't the only blown call on that play. Woodson should have been called for a 15 yrd, automatic first down for slapping Brady in the head, so I'll take the tradeoff. Also, the Raiders still had a lead, and could have won in OT, after Vinitieri nails a 48 yarder in a blizzard. Also, that rule nobody knew about was called three times during that season.
 
'belljr said:
1998 GB vs SF playoff. Jerry Rice fumble7:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1inguO24lwE
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Long time ago, tight game, Saints vs 9ers in the Dome.... Saints were maybe, possibly, finally clawing to the top... but Montana hits Rice for a breakaway run and as he nears the 10 yard line or just past it all alone.... RICE THROWS THE BALL AWAY thinking he has scored. Replay showed he had clearly not crossed the goal line. That call might have cost the Saints their first division crown.
 
'PatsFanCT said:
'DocHolliday said:
The tuck rule.

Brady had both hands on the ball for a split second so the rule that nobody knew about did not even apply.
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As a Pats fan, I thought that was a fumble as well. However, that wasn't the only blown call on that play. Woodson should have been called for a 15 yrd, automatic first down for slapping Brady in the head, so I'll take the tradeoff. Also, the Raiders still had a lead, and could have won in OT, after Vinitieri nails a 48 yarder in a blizzard. Also, that rule nobody knew about was called three times during that season.
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If we are going that route, I'll say the non-call on Ty Law's INT return in the Super Bowl several weeks later that never should have counted since the NE pass rusher, who made Warner hurry his throw, hit Warner in the helmet with his hand. That should have also been a 15-yard penalty.
 
'Ghost Rider said:
'PatsFanCT said:
'DocHolliday said:
The tuck rule.

Brady had both hands on the ball for a split second so the rule that nobody knew about did not even apply.
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As a Pats fan, I thought that was a fumble as well. However, that wasn't the only blown call on that play. Woodson should have been called for a 15 yrd, automatic first down for slapping Brady in the head, so I'll take the tradeoff. Also, the Raiders still had a lead, and could have won in OT, after Vinitieri nails a 48 yarder in a blizzard. Also, that rule nobody knew about was called three times during that season.
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If we are going that route, I'll say the non-call on Ty Law's INT return in the Super Bowl several weeks later that never should have counted since the NE pass rusher, who made Warner hurry his throw, hit Warner in the helmet with his hand. That should have also been a 15-yard penalty.
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That's fine, there are missed calls all the time. But you can't complain about a bad call and disregard another when it's the same play. Well, you can, but you can't add it to the "Worst Call Ever" list.
 
January 1981, best record Falcons host wild card Cowboys. The "Too Tall Jones is allowed to do want he wants rule" going clearly offsides twice in the waning minutes (among other attrocities) as the officials allow the Cows to come back from down 11 points in last 5 minutes to pull out miracle win. A check of any referees Swiss Bank Accounts would have been in order.

 
11-18-2007. Phil Dawson kicks game-tying FG, but it is called No Good by the officials standing right under the posts.

 
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