The 5 worst calls in NFL postseason history
No. 1: 2001-02 AFC Divisional Playoff
In what will probably always go down as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in NFL playoff history, the New England Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl via the now defunct “Tuck Rule”.
Tom Brady, who had played in place of an injured Drew Bledsoe that year, dropped back to the pocket in near blizzard conditions at Foxboro Stadium, and was crushed by Oakland Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson as he tried to bring the ball back down from a pump fake.
The ball was jarred loose, and the Raiders recovered, putting them in excellent position to win the game.
But hold on, after further review, the officials overturned the fumble call, and suddenly every NFL fan watching knew what the Tuck Rule was:
“When [an offensive] player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble.”
On the next play, Brady hit receiver David Patten for 13 yards, setting up Adam Vinatieri to kick the game-tying field goal as time ticked off the clock. Vinatieri would later hit the game winner in overtime.