Fansided

10 worst plays in NFL history

By John Buhler

Oct 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Griff Whalen (17) is tackled by New England Patriots defensive back Brandon King (36) during the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Griff Whalen (17) is tackled by New England Patriots defensive back Brandon King (36) during the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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29 Oct 1995: Defensive lineman Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the game, 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
29 Oct 1995: Defensive lineman Leon Lett of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Cowboys won the game, 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport /

8. Leon Lett It Go, II

The Dallas Cowboys were a beast of a football team in the NFC in the early to mid-1990s. Dallas would win three Super Bowls in four seasons with The Triplets of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin at the helm.

However, the two most memorable plays of that era of the Cowboys were embarrassing plays by defensive tackle Leon Lett. Lett would drop the football before crossing the goal line on a would-be defensive touchdown in Super Bowl XXVII, but the Cowboys would crush the Buffalo Bills, 52-17.

That play became known as Leon Lett It Go. However, Leon Lett It Go, II was substantially worse than his Super Bowl XXVII the year before. On the 1993 Thanksgiving Classic, the Cowboys were playing in a rare snow storm at home. Dallas was up 14-13 on the Miami Dolphins with 15 seconds left in the game.

Miami was going to attempt a 41-yard game-winning field goal. Dallas’ Jimmie Jones would block the field goal to presumably win the game. The Cowboys were jumping up and down on the sidelines because they thought they had won the game.

What they didn’t realize was that Lett tried to recover the blocked kick near goal. Lett slipped on some ice and muffed the recovery, allowing the Dolphins to get the ball back at the Cowboys’ one-yard line.

With three seconds left on the game clock, Miami would sink the game-winning field goal to make it 16-14 Dolphins. Why didn’t Leon just Lett it go? The Cowboys would win the Super Bowl that season and the Dolphins wouldn’t win another game in 1993, but that play was embarrassing.

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