Ed Hochuli’s premature whistle last Sunday probably cost the Chargers a win over the Broncos, but it wasn’t the worst call ever. Onion Sports runs down some of the worst officiating the NFL has ever seen:
1982: Though Joe Montana hits Dwight Clark in the end zone to win the NFC Championship game, referees miss that Clark is simply a fan dressed in a football uniform who ran on the field, not a player on the 49ers roster
1988-1999: Michael Irvin not flagged for offensive pass interference—not even once, for Christ’s sake
1992: A skeptical officiating team calls a last-second 59-yard Steve Christie field goal attempt “no good” before the ball is even snapped
1998: Despite running for negative yardage on six plays and throwing for 11 incomplete passes, the Bengals make 29 first downs on a game-opening drive because rookie ref Ron Winter does not know how to signal anything else
2000: The famed Music City Miracle occurs when referees cite little-known rule 14.6c, which states that with 14 seconds left at the end of an AFC wild card game, a player may attempt a forward lateral if he is Frank Wycheck
2004: Thinking that he’s pulling the flag from his back pocket, Jeff Triplette rips out his underpants and throws them at Chad Johnson for celebrating in the end zone
2005: Peyton Manning fails to inform referees that Patriots linebacker Teddy Bruschi was offsides
2006: During Super Bowl XL, referees take a touchdown away from the Seahawks’ Darrell Jackson for offensive pass interference, instead awarding it to the Steelers’ Jerome Bettis for long and faithful service
2007: When Terrell Owens dunks the football over the goalpost crossbar after a touchdown, impressed referee Bill Leavy awards the Cowboys two points
