8 NFL Playoff Fumbles That Ended A Chance At Super Bowl Glory

The NFL is full of some very hard hits and sometimes those hits can knock a team right out of the post-season playoff schedule.

From last minute fumbles that led to defensive touchdowns to bad play calling that gave up titles and Super Bowl matches we investigate 8 NFL playoff fumbles that ended a chance at Super Bowl glory.

We chose these eight fumbles because of the quick fashion in which they either ended a game or greatly shifted momentum in favor of the opposing team.

Read over our list and take a look as several available videos and then share your most heart breaking or triumphant team moment in our comments section.

This list is in no particular order because we know fans of each team would flip out of their team loss wasn’t listed as the “most heartbreaking” on our list.

James Stewart Fumbles In The 4th

Nobody expected the Jacksonville Jaguars to make it into the AFC playoffs during their second year in existence. In 1996 the team made an unlikely run through the AFC playoffs after defeating Buffalo in a wild card game and top-seeded Denver in a Divisional round.

The Jaguars could have went all the way if not for the New England Patriots.

The Jaguars defense held the Pats to just 13 points but its offense managed just two field goals over the same period of time.

With the teams pitted in a one-score game and the two minute warning approaching the Jags had possession near midfield. After the ball was handed over to running back James Stewart he lost control and the ball was recovered by cornerback Otis Smith who ran it back for 47 years and the AFC title.

Denver Broncos Recover On-Side Kick Only To Falter

The Denver Broncos looked poised to capture their second straight AFC title but ultimately fell to the Buffalo Bills.

The teams were scoreless into the third quarter of the 1991 AFC Championship when a screen pass by John Elway deep in his teams own territory led to a pick off by Bills defensive lineman Carlton Bailey and a touchdown.

Elway eventually led an 85-yard drive that resulted in a Denver Broncos touchdown and a 3-point margin.

With two minutes remaining in the game Denver attempted an on-side kick and managed to recover the ball. On the very next play Bills defensive back Kirby Jackson forced a fumble and recovered the ball. Steve Sewell cost his team the possible comeback victory.

Danny White Connects Then Loses The Ball On Next Play

In the 1981 NFC Championship the Dallas Cowboys were down 28-27 with 51 seconds left on the clock. The dominate Cowboys were poised for a last minute win when quarterback Danny White found receiver Drew Pearson.

Pearson ran into 49ers territory and was taken down by cornerback Eric Wright.

Still outside of field goal range White was sacked and lost the ball to Lawrence Pillars.

Thurman Thomas Loses The Ball As The Defense Scores

Thurman Thomas might be a Hall of Fame caliber player and he did help the Buffalo Bills reach the Super Bowl four years in a row but he also helped them lose the big game.

During Super Bowl XXVIII against Dallas Thomas fumbled the ball and turned the game in Dallas’ favor.

The Bills were leading 13-6 at halftime and got the ball back to start the second half of play. 45 seconds into the quarter Leon Lett stripped the ball from Thomas and Dallas defensive back James Washington returned the ball 46 yards to tie the game.

The Cowboys went on to win 30-13. Talk about a shift in momentum.

Eric Wright Strips Cris Collinsworth Of His Dignity And The Victory

The San Francisco 49ers fended off the Cincinnati Bengals with a final score of 26-20 and in the process captured their first world championship.

In Super Bowl XVI Eric Wright tackled wide out Cris Collinsworth and in the process stripped the ball.

The tackle was executed to near perfection and the San Francisco 49ers marched the ball 92 yards for a touchdown.

Roger Craig Stripped Behind The Line Of Scrimmage

The 49ers make our list a lot because they tend to get themselves into some heart stopping NFL playoff predicaments.

San Francisco was primed for a third straight Super Bowl championship in 1990 after they started the season 10-0.

During the conference championship the 49ers hosted the New York Giants without regular season starting quarterback Phil Simms who was replaced by Jeff Hostetler. Joe Montana would also go out in the fourth quarter after sustaining a hard hit from Leonard Marshall.

The Niners held onto a 13-12 lead with three minutes left in regulation play. On a first down from New York’s 40-yard-line running back Roger Craig was hit by Erik Howard and fumbled the ball.

That fumble was picked up by linebacker Lawrence Howard.

The Giants marched down the field and allows Matt Bahr to kick his fifth field goal of the game.

Cleveland’s Worst Fumble Of All-Time

In the 1987 AFC Championship Game in Denver the Browns had a chance to be the Cleveland team that finally didn’t suck.

The Denver Bronco’s controlled a 21-3 lead going into halftime but Browns QB Bernie Kosar quickly answered back with four second half touchdowns.

The score was eventually tied at 31 in the fourth quarter until the Denver Broncos took a 38-31 lead.

Cleveland eventually worked the ball to the eight-yard-line with 1:12 remaining in the game. Running back Earnest Byner took a hand-off and appeared to be ready for a score when he watch the ball get knocked loose by Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Castille.

The poor Cleveland Browns watched as their closest chance at a Super Bowl was literally stripped away.

Kyle Williams Fumbles Away Championship For San Francisco 49ers

Kyle Williams was returning kicked when Ted Ginn Jr. was injured and ultimately he fumbled away the game for the San Francisco 49ers

The New York Giants won the NFC championship 20-17 after Williams muffed one punt return early in the fourth quarter and setup a go-head touchdown for New York and then was stripped by Jacquian Williams in overtime to give the Giants the ball at the 24.

After the game a dumbfounded Williams told reporters:

“You hate to be the last guy that had the ball, to give it away in that fashion and to lose a game of this magnitude. is what it is. We’re going to move forward as a team. Everyone has come to pat me on the back and the shoulder to say it’s not me.”

So there are 8 NFL Playoff fumbles that ended Super Bowl hopes. If you’re a fan of any team that lost the pain of that single second probably still stings. On the other hand several heroes were made when they stripped the ball and gave their team big wins in the NFL playoffs and NFL Super Bowl.

We considered other fumbles throughout NFL playoff history but found most of them to lack the substance of the 8 fumbles listed above.

Would you add another tragic turnover to this list?