NFL Worst Trick Play Fails of All Time

I didn't use as many older clips as I would've liked, but the truth is, since teams have tried to get more fancy with their trick plays, their fails have gotten way worse.

[@bingbongbong12]

"Flea flicker from their own end zone into triple coverage" just about sums up the Browns

[@KnowingEyes]

"Curious play call." You THINK?

[@kevinhilton8833]

What r u talking about genius decision by the Browns

[@brianszitas562]

Especially at that point yes lol

[@ryanwarner5006]

It's honestly not that bad a call. The ball was intercepted way down field and they were probably punting out of their own end zone

[@edman813]

@@ryanwarner5006 It is a really bad call though, there is too much of a risk to even contemplate throwing the ball back in the end zone, where it can easily be fumbled/recovered by the defense/safety. There is no justification behind putting that much pressure on the QB for such a terrible playcall.

[@zacfubar1]

The best part of the Colts trick play against the Pats is Al Michael's reaction, "What in the world?"

[@sludge4125]

And everyone can clearly see they only had one guy on the line of scrimmage, something like six short of what the rules require.

[@KeepinItCrispy]

100% agree 🤣🤣 I pull out this video at least once a month just to hear him say that, in the hilarious way that he says it.

[@Howlingburd19]

The best part about a lot of these trick plays are the reactions of nearly all of the commentators lol

[@jbdixon4020]

and cris’ what…the….heck

[@GlobalWarmingSkeptic]

Okay whose idea was it to get Janikowski on the edge? The guy's 40 time is measured by a calendar for pete's sake.

[@aoife_ur_ghost]

He probably wasn't as fast when they tried it, but coming into the NFL he apparently ran a 4.6 40.

[@urdarkestfear1618]

"What in the wide world was that."

[@kevaninthe4135]

I'll never get that Gruden chuckle out of my head.

[@brentmoretz4366]

That play was entirely on the coach Giants knew exactly what the play was

[@MrCarsandguitars]

me whenever I try a trick play in madden

[@SG-_-245]

Jacob Dolinger same lmao

[@quinm]

Once I tried a HB pass and the pitch deflected off of the full back

[@boogieirl848]

@@quinm same happened to me lol

[@Mason-df4pr]

I always was so confused about the colts pats play 4:05 but once i saw the pat mcafee video explaining what happened it makes so much more sense

[@EssexAggiegrad2011]

It' still dumb

[@niceguy1774]

No it doesn't. "We were playing The Patriots" is no excuse.

[@christophergargaro959]

Boswell's failed behind the back onside kick was hilarious. You could see his body language after he did it that he knew he biffed then was just like ah f it and booted it off the ground LOL

[@michaelg7904]

And then you have Jesse James recovering it like it was live!

[@vlz.matthew]

it’s called a rabona in soccer , it looks really cool when it’s done properly

[@Dev-rl5fs]

cant be a fail video without jamarcus russell lol

[@jackiechan6460]

Imagine being a Raiders fan with him as our starter. It was fucking painful to watch.

[@cupyay7512]

didn't he sack himself, too?

[@sparkleygrapes]

Dghgdsfh Vhhfxvb yeah, he did. I still have nightmares from the Jamarcus Russell days.

[@victorsixtythree]

At 4:10 - Chuck Pagano's face there always cracks me up. He's like "did it work? did we fool them?"

[@mr.mendoza4285]

3:15 why are the holding hands 😂

[@therealobama7985]

Maybe a better question would be why aren't they holding hands

[@swaggshotzz1445]

Bestoutof64 they're trying to make a "wall" to block the defenders.. learned that my freshman year of highschool

[@TurtleGaming123]

Suspect

[@EssexAggiegrad2011]

Date night

[@masterlee1372]

The Jets and the Browns must have the most loyal fans out there. Unreal how many mistakes they make in every single game.

[@TheRmm1976]

Craziest thing is half of them the team that tried the trick play was IN THE LEAD.

[@AssassinoJaxon]

Depends on the team and the lead, but I can't say that I can blame them entirely. You get a comfortable lead, then have some fun with it.

[@vlz.matthew]

English please

[@matthewscottshea]

The one starting with the onside kick. Is that the fastest TD to start a game in NFL history?

[@kingofcrows8829]

Probably. David Akers is the angry leprechaun of kickers

[@kirolloseskandar4972]

Yes Akers, however, had many many successful onside kicks

[@kquals]

Two words can describe the plays in this entire video: Poor execution.

[@StewartJsR]

The worst play on this list, THE WORST - is the Colts v Pats. Not so much for what actually transpired (which was horrible) but the fact that there was so much time prior to the snap in which it was so blatantly obvious what was EXACTLY going to happen and that idiot Pagano stood there like a deer in the headlights doing nothing both before and after.

[@tomsmith5584]

Hard to believe the Cleveland Browns aren't featured until 9:45, but they have a hard time running basic plays.

[@johnmoses6568]

Tom S. srsly

[@EvanKerr]

Is it just me or does the clip at 8:40 kinda look like it's from a video game

[@jake-wt1pc]

It does

[@johnnieknight9379]

It’s just you.

[@ssooxxedsgaming4193]

It’s just you

[@DrDigDown]

I just watched 12 minutes of bad football. What am I doing with my life?

[@bobdoubter2977]

I just checked all the comments and watched bad football. What am I doing with my life?

[@Pokehero]

still better than the Seahawks o-line

[@urdarkestfear1618]

Duane Brown included

[@meininger1023]

Oh god ikr

[@gorillaguy32]

I’m from STL and I still get triggered that the Rams’ last ten years in Saint Louis can be summed up by 2:00 and now they are killing it in LA

[@loganstolberg2743]

And now they’ve won a super bowl

[@TvKAmazing]

"I hope I never see that again" Indianapolis: :^)

[@Howlingburd19]

“What in the wide world was that?” always gets me lmfao

[@herbertt.viking1449]

4:05 My absolute favorite commentator moment in sports history is just Al's utter disbelief of how horrid the play was

[@salvagesonic2903]

3:34 3 seconds into da game Dallas: *scores 6*

[@Mostlyharmless1985]

That colts play always trips me up. That ball was never supposed to be snapped... you had one job, Center...

[@sludge4125]

Yes, some replays show Pagano saying “why did you snap it” when the snapper is coming to the sideline.

[@redsixx669]

The funny story behind it, the snapper actually was a replacement, the guy they practiced the play with got sick days before the game, one lil communication error lead to the funniest snap in history

[@jakeroney98]

The “quarterback” clearly wasn’t ready for the ball either

[@redsixx669]

@@jakeroney98 cause it was never meant to be snapped xD the look on his face after he gets brought down is the best

[@btsmanman]

turns out, not the centers fault. He followed the play exactly as he was supposed to. Play instructions for center "IF YOU FEEL SOMEONES HANDS UNDER YOUR BUTT, YOU SNAP THE BALL." Even though he was a replacement, he did exactly what he was supposed to. The error came when the QB began making "fake" calls. At the last minute, one of the coaches (don't know who :/) told him, and only him, to try to get the Patriots to go offside. So when he started calling numbers, everyone was like.....uh what?Then he placed his hands under the center, and the center followed the plays instructions. So, not the centers error here.

[@JH-ms3ny]

"...to a WIDE OPEN!..under the defender crosses the field.." Just as much an announcing fail as the play was.

[@phillip22722]

I love that "The whole right side of the line wasn't on the line" call. It makes me giggle every time.

[@scottaznavourian5791]

'We saw that play the other day in practice and it didnt work' uhhhh well that peobably would have been a good sign NOT To do it?

[@weezyf775]

trick play works: brilliant play call by the coach!! doesn't work: how can they make that call!!!

[@GiulioLibertini]

That's the thing with trick plays in any sports: you make them work and you're a hero, you don't and you are the one who tried a funny thing and failed. Some of the ones in the video are actually bad calls tho

[@jamesbaron195]

3:34 if you're from McAfee 🤙

[@seanklingensmith7572]

That makes so much more sense now.

[@cashpasley7027]

What about Johnny Manziel

[@brianchristopher5588]

ok ok im a colts fan and I have been since I was a little kid, but my colts have the #1 TRICK PLAY FAIL of all time. That was the worst play ive ever seen by far. I actually seen an interview with the guys involved and the whole reason that happened was bc that ball WAS NOT supposed to be snapped and somehow the guy snapped it. It was a designed play to throw the other team off and make them possibly jump offside or line up wrong and get a penalty. The ball was NEVER supposed to be snapped.

[@brentjmichael]

And the poor substitute center reviewed that play in the playback. Play said if someone put hands under center to snap the ball. The center did what the play said.

[@davidsherwood9914]

5:05 Though, I do not question the Detroit Lions for once again making bad decisions. I do question Pittsburgh's fashion designer.

[@huaijiutv]

Colts v Pats: According to Pat McPhee, Griff Whalen was never supposed to take the snap, it should have been a delay of game then come back for a re-punt. It was designed to confuse the opponent to have too many men on the field, or use the hard-count to draw them off-side, but it just didn't work. Chris Collinworth guessed half of it, and just make him sounding like Madden is worth it! 4:40 LoL

[@SteveGellerMusic]

They could have tried that trick play against any team. It probably does make half of the teams in the league either jump or call timeout. Instead, he tried to spook the Patriots, the best-coached team in the league, who a few months earlier hadn't even called a time out in the last minute of the Superbowl, on the 1 yard line against the Seahawks. Pagano thought maybe he could outsmart Belichick. Nice plan.

[@rono5005]

1:03 😂

[@BornLiveandDieby]

oh wow.

[@dizzy1419]

ain't 3:37 the fastest score in a game or some idk

[@rainbroanderson9413]

No, Steelers-Titans on September 8, 2013. One second safety.

[@PirateOfPlayTime]

probably fastest touchdown. unless that time the bills forgot to call fair catch was at the beginning of the game.

[@UndergroundResidu]

PirateOfPlayTime yeah cause that would be a zero second TD

[@geminiman7791]

Rainbow Anderson Oh yeah I remmeber that lol. The returner wanted a touchback but he touched the ball before it crfossed the endzone and since he knee'd it it counted as bringing the ball into the endzone which is a safety

[@dizzy1419]

Oh sorry my fault, fastest touchdown*

[@LeonardCloud100]

I'm surprised the flea-flicker where Joe Theismann's career ended didn't make it into this.

[@DreadYgKuma]

"What was the plan?" "I dunno, was completely nuts."

[@xhitomusic7345]

3:44 simply the greatest play in NFL history

[@Cruising_On_Lake_Havasoma]

LOL at how offended Chris Collinsworth is by that Colts play. Like he's embarrassed to be involved with it.

[@smjjohnson]

5:29 = Worst 'kick' I've ever seen in my life...

[@terrys394]

Love the commentators always saying what a bad call it was when it doesn't work. These are the same guys saying how brilliant the play was when it does work. Never do they say " nice try it just didn't work."

[@bjdon99]

The Redskins and Colts were both trying to do something like the same play. Not sure how it was supposed to work as having 0 blockers gives the QB about 1/2 sec to get the ball out.

[@sidpenalver7602]

here's why the colts play isnt as bad as the washington play-- in the colts play it was a failure in execution. the ball was never meant to be snapped it was to get the pats to jump off side and if it didn't work let the clock run out. the washington play some knucklehead actually thought would work. hope this explains it if ur reading this. still a bad play call tho don't get me wrong but had more logic behind it than the washington one and makes more sense if u know that the ball wasn't supposed to be snapped.

[@ashotofwhiskey219]

3:22 - I remember that. I hate the Cowboys with a passion, but even I thought that was funny enough to applaud.

[@nakedfaves]

9:45 .......TRIPLE coverage when you're 13 points ahead in the 2nd quarter..........??? I question the Bengals more than the Browns on that play.

[@raychu6929]

The Browns are the biggest fail in sports history

[@littlebill9817]

Raychu Blick not really

[@cadegrohman6534]

Raychu Blick during the 1950's the Browns won 7 championships and my Giants won the other three so stfu the Eagles are the biggest failure

[@youflunkeddaycare]

Raychu Blick The Browns won 10 championships in 10 seasons before the Super Bowl era. They were the NFL elite back in the day

[@littlebill9817]

Raychu Blick you clearly know nothing about football

[@Das_Vert]

Raychu Blick do a quick fact check before you spout off. Fool.

[@caitlinspry7895]

all of these are stupid "trick plays" I mean seriously...

[@crashstitches79]

"Let's have our punter throw a jump ball. Yeah, that should work."

[@cyrangan9088]

This video needs to be revised with 2022 Cowboys season-ending blunder as #1

[@Apocalypse3434]

Some of these were designed well, just piss poor execution. That Colts play though...OMG

[@sidpenalver7602]

poor execution-- ball wasn't meant to be snapped

[@gabrielbruskoff]

is it just me or does 8:39 look more like a videogame than real life?

[@KareemT11]

you right lol i think its because the camera angle is the same as kickoff in madden

[@dirtyrandy2592]

Colt vS Patriots wasn’t a trick play... it wasn’t even supposed to be a play. they were trying to get a 12 man penalty and accidentally snapped the ball.

[@Grandizer8989]

Something about 4th and 3 with Indy and NE. Who can forget 4th and 3 in the 4th Qtr when Belechik went for it and got stuffed deep in their own territory?

[@SteveGellerMusic]

I especially like the first one (the Zorn swinging gate fail), since basically every single Giant was totally prepared for it (they had just called the same play), so he ended up throwing the ball into a nest of SIX defenders. And the last one is great also ("He's wide open...oh, whoops, except for this player coming into your screen now because the throw took 10 seconds to get there...picked"). Some of them aren't that bad (i.e., a flea flicker and a 50-yard pass downfield that is INT'd is really just the equivalent of a punt). The Patrick Chung fumble, though, was part of the very worst, most inexcusable loss of the Brady era in New England. The all-time king, though, remains the Colts play. The play took so long to develop that Edelman, who was 50 yards downfield to return the punt, is playing defense by the end of the play. The greatest under-appreciated aspect of this fail is that the Colts predicated this play on the Patriots calling time out before the ball was snapped. In other words, they could have used this trick play against any team, but they chose to use it against the best-coached team in the league, who a few months earlier hadn't even called timeout with a minute left in the Superbowl, playing defense on the 1-yard line. Pagano thought that he was going to outsmart Belichick and make him panic.

[@MadroxMonoxide777]

The whole point of the flea flicker is to make the defense jump to defend the run and leave a receiver open as a result. If they don't bite on it and the receiver is in double coverage, it's generally not a good idea to just throw it anyway.

[@nocalsteve]

That Redskins play is so much worse than the Colts play.

[@nudist0885]

3:22...................3 SECONDS into the game..............TOUCHDOWN.

[@photoshopjack5046]

At 4:00: I think that the Colts were trying to do a legalized form of "center sneak." While this play is usually illegal, it is because the NFL has determined forward handoffs at or beyond the line of scrimmage as forward passes (which ironically was done to prevent the classical definition of center sneak). This is when a quarterback hands the ball to the center, usually right back after the actual snap, back through his legs while the center remains in squat postion. Now, keep in mind that a forward handoff at or beyond the line of scrimmage is considered a pass, even if the ball doesn't travel through the air, according to NFL rules. Therefore, there are a lot of different issues to consider for the play to be legal. This play is only legal if: 1. The center is declared eligible before the play to the referee. Typically, you occasionally hear the term "tackle eligible," which is the same rule. This is done because the numbers on the uniform are relevant to the player's (primary) position (which makes it easier for refs to determine eligibility for pass reception and position on field). Usually, on a tackle-eligible call, the end is located in the backfield, or in some extreme cases, the tackle himself is in the backfield. But the center is always on the line. Sometimes the PA announcer says it prior to the play, but I didn't hear it, though it could have done before this video segment started. In this case, the announcement should actually be "center eligible." 2. For the center to be eligible, and since he's on the line of scrimmage, he must be on one of the two far ends of the line; in this case the left end. 3. When a center hands off to the quarterback, the quarterback must take complete control of the football, with no part of the football touching the center. In other words, the center couldn't just take the ball, have the QB touch the ball, then the center keeps the ball. The ball has to completely transfer from center control to QB control, and it must be noticable by the ref. Only at that time can the QB transfer the ball back to the center. If you click the replay at 4:50, you can see the hesitation of the snap. You could see the center maintain his hands near the spot of the handoff, I believe clearly expecting the QB to hand it right back to him. But it appeared that in the confusion, the QB juggled the ball just a bit, and made it impossible to hand it back cleanly. I hope this explains it clearly. There can be no other logical explanation to this absolutely bizarre formation.

[@FormlessGeometry]

Photoshop Jack Very nice indeed! I wonder if someone other than Chuck designed it and the play got called without eligibility or lining on far left side. Imagine a horizontal snap, then forward pass, to the center! Amazing

[@meininger1023]

That’s a lot of words ya got there

[@kentondickerson]

I think they were trying to draw the other team offsides. The only reason they snapped the ball was that the play clock ran down.

[@sludge4125]

Great post, Jack!!

[@tim9186]

I’m a little late but they were trying to draw them offside and we’re not supposed to snap it unless there were 12 mean on the field. It was a communication error because the original snapper got injured earlier in the game. Just a communication error made one of the worst plays in nfl history

[@pooryorick831]

This is one highlight the Jets seem to have more than their fair share of screen time in...

[@ptonfire1]

"Whats that irish dance they do...."

[@DavidStewart-np3cj]

Everyone has bad days. Even coaches.

[@blafiman]

flea flicker from endzone "bengals" was pretty dumb too

[@pakkmann]

The entire Pro Bowl is a fail so a trick play here and there won't change anything in that nonsense game.

[@crashstitches79]

9:45 had the Incredulity Meter on smash

[@johnduded]

That Patrick Peterson interception is nowhere near amoung "Worst Trick Play Fails of All Time". It's just a flea flicker that got picked, just like two or three others here (not counting the Browns).

[@pronkb000]

Yeah, that was just a great play by Peterson rather than a fail by the QB. Some of these other flea flickers had bad execution problems but not this one.

[@geminiman7791]

If you ever make a second, I can suggest 2010 Packers Vikings. Packers faked a 55 yard field goal and it was ALMOST agreat play but I believe Jermichael Finley tripped on his own feet and the ball went over him for what was a sure touchdown

[@jolly4136]

I'm a eagles fan but that was so funny on that onside kick try

[@DancyRULEZ]

The colts trick play was so dumb even if they didnt snap it. Like did you really think you were gonna throw off Bills Pats with a formation like that?

[@TheMelnTeam]

Some of these are a lot worse than others! That Colts play was on something...whereas a defender winning a jump ball 1v1 on a flea flicker sucks but just isn't as much of a spectacular fail as something like that Oakland fake FG :D.

[@TheRokunana]

When the Colts tried that fake I started rooting for the Patriots because I couldn't stand the idea of a team doing something so stupid winning that game. And I hate the Patriots.

[@superwolf1515]

TheRokunana a college team did it better than the colts did

[@pronkb000]

I *believe* that Cowboys onside kick return is the fastest TD in NFL history. At 3 seconds I have a hard time envisioning how it could be broken.

[@kevaninthe4135]

Chuck Pagano saw the Redskins play and saw potential. And then he gave us the Colts Fake Punt.

[@toxichazmat5785]

A lot of these could have worked well but the passing just wasn't always good enough.

[@pooryorick831]

Where are the Chargers in this?? No "lowlights" film is complete without at least one play involving the Chargers...

[@dhatboi_dre]

Hey I saw what you put still better than the Seahawks o-line

[@hambb]

9:45 Typical Browns

[@markmoody5624]

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ! There was" MAYBE " 4 that qualify to be even in the top 30 failed trick plays IN THE NFL! SMFH!

[@christophergreen4616]

On the horrible 4th Down play by the Colts, listen carefully and you can overhear someone say "What the f***??" when the Colts change formation. LOL.

[@gasdoc4789]

good video, fun to watch, but too many ordinary plays like flea-flickers whose fails are not especially noteworthy. Also, maybe pu them in ascending order of uniqueness and epic failure level. The second half of video is entirely less interesting than the first half

[@ChrisV267]

In that first play, if they motioned the kicker the way they did then snapped the ball, quick passed to the kicker, and had that whole wall of linemen crash back inside they would be set up with a huge wall of blockers. But no its Washington gotta do the wrong thing every time

[@zoom7619]

Still better than the Seahawks o-line 😂😂😂

[@Zmad724]

Ricky Williams thinking when he heard the play-call: "Man I am way too high to try this shit.....Oh well, fuck it.."

[@tommycapps9903]

The Quarterback Bradford took down a defensive back like he was a middle linebacker! Bad shuttle pass but great tackle!

[@bobbart6498]

The Rex Grossman spike wasn’t that bad. It was more like a fluke. It wasn’t as idiotic as the Colts or Redskins.

[@camdog4532]

I like newer plays because the graphics are better and you can actually see the score and who is playing.

[@carlosmatos9848]

1:28 dumb play, but the Bears only mustered a measly field goal after that. Green Bay still won 21-13.

[@ghostrider5378]

It's amazing how fucking TERRIBLE the Colts became after Dungy left.

[@flaccidego9468]

Lions fake field goal against Steelers was a bad call. But whoever approved of those Steelers jerseys made an even worse call

[@youdontseeanoldmanhavinatw4904]

Colts fake punt takes the cake for worst play ever imo

[@moistreality7242]

I admit I saw dumb plays but I never saw anything as dumb as the colts vs patriots one 😂😂😂😂😂

[@DEIONCARTER21]

Im so glad my Cowboys don't try stupid ass plays like these, that's why there Americas Team

[@beakt]

Why would you open a game with an onside kick? Isn't that a high-risk desperation play?

[@michaelg7904]

Pitching the ball to Janikowski on a trick play? He probably ran a 10 second 40!

[@johnmoses6568]

That hit at 10:00 was gnarly

[@Richard__Cranium]

It's hilarious/kinda sad to see players & coaches who work themselves tirelessly for days at a time preparing for a 60 minute matchup only for their outcome to turnout to be complete shit.

[@GlobalWarmingSkeptic]

At 5:15, I don't see how that was a bad play. It opened up amazingly well. #90 just reacted amazingly and angled over the top. Otherwise he was going to at least get the first easy.

[@DustinPlatt]

Pause @ 1:04

[@willeythekid9490]

Seahawks should have been in here for the fake punt at end of season in a blowout. Punter got hurt on the fake punt and missed the rest of the season.

[@packers12to80]

On that first play, if dude would have thrown the ball further it' would have been a touchdown .

[@crashstitches79]

1:25 has Dallas fans SCREAMING during 2020 Thanksgiving.