The Most Shocking NFL Upsets in History

The Most Shocking NFL Upsets in History

Whether you're a football fan or not, we can all agree that the National Football League (NFL) is a huge part of our culture. The Super Bowl has become like a National Holiday. Every year, we look forward to watching the game and seeing who will emerge victorious, even if we have yet to learn much about either team.

Every year, NFL happens, and as always, it had some twists and turns along the way. Of course, the most remarkable games in NFL history resulted in shocking upsets, and we've listed the greatest ones here.

The Dallas Cowboys vs. the San Francisco 49ers (2022)

The playoff rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys goes back a long way. Currently, NFL odds have America's Cowboys as the favorites every season, and their 8.51 million fans agree. However, on January 16, 2022, despite a fierce comeback attempt by the Cowboys (11-7), the San Francisco 49ers (11-7) prevailed 23-17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With their victory, the 49ers became the first road team to advance in the playoffs. 

Prescott completes a 20-yard gain on a quarterback sneak in 0:14 seconds, moving the ball to the 49ers' 25-yard line. They need more time as they try to form a lineup. The umpire must touch the ball. He takes out for the middle of the field and promptly loses possession of the ball. The 49ers win by a 23-17 after the center gets the ball to Prescott just as time expires. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Indianapolis Colts (2005)

In the 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff, the Steelers led the Indianapolis Colts 21-3 in the last quarter. However, the Colts came out strong in the final 15 minutes of the game. 

Over 10 minutes, they earned 15 points, cutting the deficit to three points at 21-18 with 4:24 on the clock. The next drive resulted in no points for the Steelers and increased pressure on the defense to hold back Peyton Manning and the Colts' high-scoring attack. 

The Steelers appeared to be cruising to an easy AFC Championship Game berth with 1:20 remaining and possession at the two-yard line. However, it was not the case. After receiving the handoff from the two, Jerome Bettis was sacked by Gary Brackett, and the offense recovered the ball. Nick Harper snatched it up and sprinted while the Steelers' sideline gazed in stunned awe. What was a fairly easy finale to the game quickly became a nightmare. All hope seemed lost until Ben Roethlisberger performed what would be forever named "The Tackle." At the Colts' 42-yard line, Roethlisberger made the crucial shoestring tackle on Harper, preventing what seemed like it would have been an easy touchdown.

With 1:01 remaining and the ball on their 42-yard line, the Colts appeared to be in command. Starting at the Steelers' 28-yard line, Manning completed passes of 22 and 8 yards to Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, respectively. Next, kicker Mike Vanderjagt stepped up to make the 46-yard field goal. 

The Steelers used a timeout to try to calm him down, but the kick sailed wide. What happened after it is legend or legend itself. The Pittsburgh Steelers prevailed and advanced to the AFC Championship Game, ultimately defeating the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL.

The New England Patriots vs. the New York Jets (2011)

Any game between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots will garner wide attention. There is more at stake here than a simple border battle between two regions that cannot stand the sight of each other. You can't find a better football rivalry than this.

In 2011, however, the Patriots finished the regular season with a 14-2 record, good enough to secure the AFC's top playoff spot. When the Patriots and Jets last met during the regular season, the Patriots won by a score of 45 to 3. New York won the divisional round game 28-14 thanks to a 20-yard touchdown run from Shonn Greene and five sacks of Tom Brady. 

After a drought of more than 40 years, the Jets nearly made it to the Super Bowl before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.

The Miami Dolphins vs. the New England Patriots (2008)

The 2008 Super Bowl champions are the New York Giants. They won the Super Bowl and defeated one of the best teams in history. The final result was 17–14 in favor of the Giants over the Patriots. They were able to pull out the victory thanks to Eli Manning's incredible play in the fourth quarter. He had two touchdown passes in the fourth (both of which gave his team the lead), no interceptions, and completed 9 of 14 passes.

Ultimately, the Patriots' loss came down to them being outperformed. This was demonstrated when Eli escaped a collapsed pocket, and David Tyree intercepted a pass intended for New England safety Rodney Harrison. New England's offensive momentum sometimes picked up, but the Giants' defense eventually stifled the Patriots.

Final Thoughts

Sports fans adore the NFL playoffs for several reasons, including seeing underdogs upset favored teams like the ones we've highlighted here. The history of NFL upsets only proves that each season brings its unique set of unpredictable games, which makes the NFL so exciting to watch.