The Super Bowl is full of wonderful feats of athleticism, toughness and bravery. It’s the world’s top athletes competing on the biggest stage, which means when they make terrible mistakes, we remember them forever.
In honor of the “Game of Games,” let’s look back at some moments from past Super Bowls that, years later, still make us cringe.
1 of 25
Leon Lett’s touchdown-turned-touchback
The Cowboys were leading, 52-17, in Super Bowl XXVII when Leon Lett recovered a Buffalo fumble and headed for the end zone that was 65 yards away. Seeing no one in front of him, Lett stretched out the ball and began to celebrate as he crossed the 10-yard line. However, Bills receiver Don Beebe sprinted back and managed to knock the ball out of the back of the end zone before Lett could score. The touchdown-turned-touchback didn’t cost Dallas the game…only the record for most points in a Super Bowl. Still, it’s hard to watch Lett watching himself on the Jumbotron but still failing to see the tiny receiver charging from behind.
2 of 25
Seahawks inexplicably throw away the game
Trailing 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX, Russell Wilson completed a miracle 33-yard pass to Jermaine Kearse. The ball was tipped multiple times and even went off Kearse’s leg, but he caught it. One play later, Seattle was on the 1-yard line, at which point coach Pete Carroll apparently forgot Marshawn Lynch was on his team. Lynch had taken the ball inches away from the goal line on the previous play, but Carroll inexplicably called a pass. Malcolm Butler picked it off, the Patriots won and Carroll had another improbable collapse to ponder.
3 of 25
Tim Krumrie suffers gruesome injury
Early in Super Bowl XXIII, Bengals nose tackle Tim Krumrie went to tackle Roger Craig and suffered the most gruesome injury in Super Bowl history. He planted his foot awkwardly, and his lower leg simply snapped. Horrified viewers saw his left foot spin around. (Don’t click if you’re squeamish!) Krumrie broke his ankle, tibia and fibula, and after being carted off the field, he got a 15-inch titanium rod implanted in his leg. Somehow he came back and played six more seasons after that.
4 of 25
Charles Woodson‘s broken collarbone
By 2010, Charles Woodson had a college national championship, a Heisman Trophy, a Defensive Player of the Year Award and seven Pro Bowl appearances. However, in his career, Woodson had never won a Super Bowl. When he finally had his shot, he was anguished when he dove to defend a pass in Super Bowl XLV and broke his collarbone. Woodson left the game, but the remaining Green Bay defenders managed to hold off the Steelers enough to preserve a 31-25 win. After the game, Woodson had one arm in a sling — and the Lombardi Trophy in the other.
5 of 25
Miami’s imperfect field goal attempt
The Miami Dolphins are the only 17-0 team in NFL history, and they nearly finished the season with a 17-0 Super Bowl VII win. With just over two minutes left, leading 14-0, coach Don Shula sent in Garo Yepremian to kick a field goal. The kick was blocked, but instead of falling on the loose ball, Yepremian tried to pass. The ball slipped out of his hands, and the kicker batted the ball in the air — right into the hands of a Redskins cornerback. He ran it in for a touchdown, and suddenly the Dolphins had to sweat out a one-possession lead. They held on, so Garo didn’t have to face his teammates’ wrath for long.
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Originally post on Yardbarker | Posted 2 days ago | By Sean Keane
