Scott Norwood's missed 47-yard field goal, forever known as "Wide Right," remains one of the NFL’s most devastating playoff moments. With just eight seconds remaining, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV. Norwood, tasked with clinching the franchise’s first championship, watched as his kick narrowly missed, sailing wide right. The Bills’ heartbreaking loss started their infamous streak of four consecutive Super Bowl defeats.
Gary Anderson’s missed 38-yard field goal against the Atlanta Falcons shattered the Minnesota Vikings’ hopes of a Super Bowl berth. Anderson had been flawless throughout the regular season, converting every kick he attempted, but his first miss of the year came at the worst possible time. The Falcons tied the game and went on to win 30-27 in overtime, denying the 15-1 Vikings a chance to cap off a historic season with a Super Bowl appearance. Anderson’s miss remains a gut-wrenching memory for Vikings fans and one of the NFL’s most iconic playoff moments.
Billy Cundiff’s missed 32-yard field goal against the New England Patriots ended the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl dreams in heartbreaking fashion. With just 11 seconds left and the Ravens trailing 23-20, Cundiff lined up for what should have been a routine kick to tie the game. Instead, the ball sailed wide left, leaving the Ravens stunned and the Patriots heading to the Super Bowl. The miss overshadowed a strong effort by Baltimore and became a defining moment in Cundiff’s career.
Blair Walsh’s infamous missed 27-yard field goal in the final seconds against the Seattle Seahawks stunned the Minnesota Vikings and their fans. In sub-zero temperatures, Walsh had been perfect earlier in the game, scoring all nine of the Vikings’ points. However, his game-winning attempt hooked wide left, handing Seattle a narrow 10-9 victory. The miss ended Minnesota’s season.
Known as one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, Mike Vanderjagt’s playoff miss against the Pittsburgh Steelers shocked the Indianapolis Colts’ faithful. Trailing 21-18 in the final seconds, Vanderjagt had the chance to tie the game with a 46-yard field goal. Instead, his kick sailed wide right, stunning a Colts team that had dominated much of the regular season. The miss marked a bitter end to a promising campaign and cast a shadow on Vanderjagt’s otherwise illustrious career.
Nate Kaeding’s struggles in the 2009 AFC Divisional Round were devastating for the San Diego Chargers. Kaeding missed three field goals, including a crucial 40-yarder late in the game, as the Chargers fell 17-14 to the New York Jets. The Pro Bowl kicker’s inconsistency on one of the season’s biggest stages frustrated fans and epitomized San Diego’s playoff woes. Kaeding’s misses were instrumental in the Chargers’ premature exit, leaving a talented team wondering what could have been.
Tony Romo’s botched hold on a 19-yard field goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks is one of the most infamous playoff moments in NFL history. Serving as both quarterback and holder, Romo fumbled the snap with just over a minute remaining and the Cowboys trailing 21-20. His attempt to salvage the play by running fell short, sealing Dallas’s heartbreaking loss.
Doug Brien’s back-to-back missed field goals in the final moments against the Pittsburgh Steelers were disastrous for the New York Jets. With the game tied 17-17, Brien missed a 47-yard attempt with two minutes left and then missed a 43-yarder as time expired in regulation. The Steelers capitalized in overtime, winning 20-17 and ending the Jets’ season.
Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud endured a nightmare outing in the 1971 AFC Divisional Round, missing three critical field goals for the Kansas City Chiefs, including a 31-yarder in regulation. His struggles allowed the Miami Dolphins to force double overtime in what remains the longest game in NFL history. The Dolphins ultimately triumphed 27-24, denying the Chiefs a chance to advance and ending their hopes of another Super Bowl run.
Cody Parkey’s infamous "double-doink" miss in the Chicago Bears’ playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles is etched in NFL lore. With the Bears trailing 16-15 and seconds left, Parkey’s 43-yard attempt hit the upright and then the crossbar, bouncing out and ending Chicago’s season. The heartbreaking miss stunned fans at Soldier Field.
