ABOVE: Watch the play many are calling the worst in Super Bowl history – and hear reaction from the coaches and players about why it was called.
The Monday after the Super Bowl can be a little raw for fans of the losing and winning teams alike. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are still too fresh. Perspective can be hard to come by.
But to judge from the reaction of analysts, players (former and current) and a multitude of furious fans, last night may have featured the single worst play call in Super Bowl history.
After nearly sixty minutes of play, the Seattle Seahawks trailed the New England Patriots by a score of 28-24.
The game seemed out of reach until a miracle catch by Seattle wide receiver Jermaine Kearse got the ball to the five yard line of New England with 1:06 remaining.
WATCH: Seattle’s Jermaine Kearse makes an incredible catch to (seemingly) tilt the game in favour of the Seahawks
For New England fans, it stirred memories of David Tyree’s infamous “helmet catch” in Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants. Kearse’s juggling, stumbling, but somehow still complete pass moved Seattle 33 yards, all but sealing the game for the Seahawks.
Trailing by four and needing a touchdown to win, Seattle first ran the ball with superstar running back Marshawn Lynch, getting to the one-yard line with one timeout remaining.
Then, with the clock ticking down and only inches separating them from gridiron glory, Seattle elected to pass the ball on a slant route to third-string wideout Ricardo Lockette, instead of punching it in with another run play.
Then, the unthinkable: millions of Seahawks fans watched in horror as the ball was thrown by quarterback Russell Wilson, and was then picked off by New England defensive back Malcolm Butler.
And just like that, the game was over.
And despite an exciting sixty minutes of football that featured plenty of big plays by both teams, it was the final play call that drew all the attention. Even non-Seahawk fans questioned why the team wouldn’t rely on Lynch, possibly the biggest running threat in the NFL and the centrepiece of their offense, to punch it in from just one yard out.
Shocked fans took to social media to express their disbelief.
Sports analysts were quick to declare it one of the worst play call decisions in Super Bowl history.
Even the NFL’s own Twitter account couldn’t quite believe the Seahawks’ decision.
And a bevy of current and ex-NFL players took to Twitter to express their disbelief at Seattle’s decision.
And finally, the New York post couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have one last laugh at Tom Brady’s expense.
Now Seattle players, fans, and coaches will have all offseason to ponder the painful “what if?” of the big game’s final moments – while Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are being fitted for their championship rings.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson took to Twitter this morning to reassure supporters he’d be back.
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