What are the 5 worst calls in NFL postseason history?

Jerry Rice non-fumble 

One of the more iconic moments in recent NFL history may have never happened if it weren’t for a bad referee call. Many will remember the 1998 NFC Wild Card Game between the Packers and San Francisco 49ers for Terrell Owens’ game-winner with eight seconds left in what was dubbed “The Catch II,” but it was set up by a crucial play a few moments before.

After Brett Favre led a long drive to give Green Bay a 30-27 lead late, San Francisco was driving near midfield with just under 40 seconds remaining. Steve Young found Jerry Rice on a short completion in-bounds that required the 49ers to spend a timeout.

The Packers maintained that Rice fumbled, but the referees ruled that he was down before the ball came loose. However, replays during the timeout clearly showed that the ball was coming out before Rice’s knee was down, robbing Green Bay of what would have been a game-ending fumble. Instead, the 49ers kept the ball and advanced to the Divisional Round on Owens’ iconic reception.

Again, the limitations in replay were partly responsible for the missed call, as the challenge system was not instituted until the following year. Still, Rice’s fumble was much more clear than Renfro’s catch or just about any other controversial postseason call.

Those playoffs would later feature more iconic moments such as Gary Anderson’s miss in the NFC Championship Game and John Elway retiring with a Super Bowl win. With the correct call on Rice’s fumble, NFL history could have been very different.

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