The WORST Collapse in NFL History

In 2008, the Denver Broncos led the San Diego Chargers by three games with three weeks left in the season. They ended up missing the playoffs. This is the story behind the crazy collapse of the 2008 Broncos, and how the Chargers came back to win the AFC West in shocking fashion

[@SteelerFanInRI]

2008 was a great year for collapses; the Broncos, the Bucs (as you mentioned), the Jets and the Cowboys all had pretty memorable ones.

[@thenextrung]

My Bears certainly collapsed that year as well.

[@rachmanwalker4145]

I'm not going to mention any teams, either 😬

[@andy7376]

2008 was a good year for me as a Steelers fan tho

[@saubergt2390]

@Matt Joseph Hmmmm... Sounds like a certain black and yellow squad from last year...

[@senorpedrosrooster]

49ers did as well

[@johnhollis9283]

If you're talking about epic collapses check out the 2002 New Orleans Saints. They were 9-4 going into the last three weeks against a 1 win Bengal team, at home against a Vikings team working on a 16 game road losing streak, and another home game against the 6 wins Panthers.

[@broadstreetbullies849]

Then there's the Vikings the year after and in 2016. The 2015 Falcons as well. All were 5-0 to start their respective seasons and all missed

[@HipsterShiningArmor]

@@broadstreetbullies849 2009 Giants too, started the year 5-0 and missed the playoffs outright. Probably stings less considering that was in the middle of 2 super bowl titles though.

[@broadstreetbullies849]

@@HipsterShiningArmor wow

[@duanes1991]

The Ravens were 8-3 and were the #1 seed in the AFC at that point in 2021. They finished 8-9 and in last place in the AFC North

[@johnhollis9283]

@@duanes1991Epic collapse. Extra points for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory at least twice during that stretch.

[@bigtimetimmyjim6486]

As a Bolts fan, I will never forget this stretch of games. True to my fandom, I always fear the worst before sitting down to watch a game featuring my team...but before that Week 17 Sunday night game, I was 100% sure that we were going to win.

[@Yangxiety]

True. That was an amazing time to be a Chargers fan. One of my acquaintances that sat at my lunch table was a Broncos fan, so there was a lot of trash talk to say the least. He didn’t show up to school the day after that week 17 game...

[@fjr70ify]

Ugh! Darrin Sproles & Phillip Rivers haunt my nightmares. Definitely a thorn in Denver's side. It was worse than Fouts and company, which were no picnic either.

[@masonmacomber]

Here after another Final Week Collapse by the chargers

[@sedricgranger]

As of this year, my poor ravens went from 8-3 to 8-9 (mainly because of injuries, but still a collapse though)

[@sawyertuide7636]

It’s up there but I’d say the 2003 Vikings are still the worst For the Ravens it just felt like a normality and injuries are the excuse. Those Vikings have no excuse

[@redpillfreedom6692]

Well yeah. If 5 out of 7 losses are to teams under .500, it's hard to blame anyone but yourself.

[@akeme25]

Freaking traumatizing as a Broncos fan. All they needed to win was 1 game and they choked it all up. What’s worse, I had to deal with that again the next season (starting 6-0 and finishing 8-8)😔😔

[@andy7376]

At least you had 2015 tho

[@TimCarter]

I remember the game he mentions at 11:08 when the Broncos lost to the Colts on a Halloween Monday Night in 1988. A game where Eric Dickerson did an Al Bundy and scored 4 touchdowns in one game.

[@danielkelegian5306]

1993 Dolphins IMO. Don Shula led squad goes 9-2, losing the the final five including an OT loss the final week to a 4 win Patriots team.

[@GR-bn3xj]

I totally agree and actually said that before reading your comment

[@JWex-jy7sk]

NFL Network actually ran a Top 10 collapses special and that 1993 Dolphins team was #1 Surprisingly the 1995 Oakland Raiders didn’t make this list? They were 8-2 and lost 6 consecutive games to miss the playoffs entirely! m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYCsfah8bbmppZo

[@stevep8445]

In fairness to them Marino was hurt early in the season and they wound up having Scott Mitchell (who also got hurt), Steve DeBerg and Doug Pederson line up under center and various points. Don't know how they een were at 9-2 at one point. They were not all that good

[@danielkelegian5306]

@@stevep8445 They went 6-1 without Marino before losing to the Giants to start the skid.

[@mjwatts1983]

What was the Dolphins last win in 1993?

[@vadimzdonutube]

If you’re ahead by 3 with 3 games left, you better slam the door shut

[@slapshot68]

Especially wen u hav to play that very same team in wk 17

[@joesakic91]

Bill Wendl: They (2008 Denver Broncos) had to win only one stinkin' game. One game.

[@EternalFootballFan]

"It doesn't get much worse than that." Josh McDaniels next year: Hold my beer

[@joeuribe8866]

In 1995, the Raiders started 8-2. They then proceeded to lose their final 6 games and miss the playoffs. This Broncos “collapse” is child’s play.

[@mjwatts1983]

2003 MN: The radio call in the Cardinals game 1979 WSH: The now-Football Team’s last game was against the defending NFC Champion Cowboys in Dallas. Meanwhile the Bears needed to score a lot of points to make the playoffs

[@Rockhound6165]

I think what makes the Broncos collapse worse was that all they had to do was win 1 of their final 3 games to win the division but they didn't.

[@marcus813]

That same season, losses to the Panthers team that aided the Broncos' collapse and these Chargers combined with losses to the Falcons and, somehow, the Raiders, led to the Bucs going from 9-3 and looking like playoff locks to 9-7, out of playoff contention and cleaning house. Both general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Jon Gruden were shown the door nearly 3 weeks after the Raiders loss.

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

They lost to a Jamarcus Russell-led Raiders team too…LOL

[@marcus813]

@@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly That's one of the parts of that loss that blew my mind. If the Bucs couldn't beat a Russell-led squad while controlling its own playoff destiny, they didn't deserve a playoff berth. This is coming from a Bucs fan.

[@Wolf_3125]

The worst choke job until 28-3 🤣🤣🤣

[@shanemosser]

'08 Broncos: we pulled off the worst collapse ever '09 Broncos: hold my McDaniels

[@davidking4838]

I remember the Dolphins being 9-2 and ending 9-7 and just missing the playoffs. There have been far worse collapses than Denver in 2008.

[@scottfarmer8758]

In 2009 the Broncos started the season 6-0 and finished 8-8.

[@andrewgrove1691]

that's much worse than this

[@BroncoJosh]

There was also their 2006 team. I believe they were 7-2 at one point and lost 5 of 7 down the stretch and missed the playoffs after being upset at home by the 49ers.

[@chrisuncleahmad]

Rasputin Norv Turner ended up getting 5 more years because of this.

[@theredscum4202]

Did you come back to this video and watch it again

[@effend446]

What about the 2003 Vikings? Started the season 6-0, looked like a lock to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, only to go 3-7 for the remainder of the season and ultimately miss the playoffs on the last play in Arizona.

[@johnnyroberts3761]

That season, they also lost 4 games to teams who finished 4-12 that season, which adds more salt in the wound

[@mjtestaverde418]

Handing Green Bay the division around Christmas, I'll never forget that

[@ninersdd21]

@@johnnyroberts3761 Those 4-12 teams were the worst teams in the league that year.

[@chrisuncleahmad]

This was peak Rasputin Norv Turner

[@BAYAREA-kd1ig]

So true.

[@rachmanwalker4145]

😂😂😂😂😂 Just like the old Lions coach, Wayne Fontes!

[@anonymoususer450]

Another thing about the Bucs that year, heading into the Chargers game, they were unbeaten (6-0) at home. They lost their last 2, but it was on the road against the Panthers and Falcons, 2 teams with a combined 1 home loss in the regular season (ironically, that 1 loss was a Falcons loss to the Broncos)

[@BroncoJosh]

Correction. The Giants were the number one seed in the playoffs not the Panthers.

[@naswii4360]

Three years later in 2011, the Broncos were again 8-5 and lost 3 in a row to fall to 8-8. They still somehow won the AFC West that year. They were pitied that year by the NFL gods

[@johnm994]

Maybe the luckiest team to ever make the playoffs. Sadly people thought Teblows would be a good NFL QB, but the Broncos were actually winning games despite his poor play.

[@frankaragonajr.4377]

The 1994 Eagles started off the season at 7 - 2. That was the season they went to San Francisco and beat the eventual Super Bowl champs 40 to 8. They finished at 7 - 9! Head Coach Rich Kotite gets fired at the end of the season.

[@GR-bn3xj]

Miami started out 9-2 the year before that and didn't make the playoffs

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

The Broncos actually had four season collapses in the 2000s: 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2009. In my opinion, the 2008 collapse has to be the worst based on how weak the AFC West was and the aftermath.

[@ceebee312]

Hmm never saw it that way.. but your right .. although I understand they wanted to go with the their young QB in Jay Cutler, they could’ve let Jake Plummer still started on the ‘06 season and finish out .. could’ve been more beneficial for Jay , then there’s the FO that went after Josh McDaniels and rest was said there after

[@johnm994]

To be fair, Denver and SD both had 2002 collapses. Chargers were 8-4 with 4 to play as were the Broncos and Raiders. Chargers actually lost their last 4.

[@chromosomehaver6620]

It’s just what we do

[@nintendo8127]

In my opinion, the 2003-04 Vikings were worse chokes. They started 6-0, and missed the playoffs at 9-7. I know the 2009-10 Broncos did this, too, but the Vikings were special. In that they lost to the 4 worst teams in the NFL. Plus a loss to a Bears team that didn’t make the playoffs. Losses to Rams and Packers weren’t bad losses. And despite that, all the Vikings needed to do to make the playoffs was to beat the Cardinals. And they lost to them on the final play, knocking them out of the playoff. It was that game that made me a Cardinals fan (worst decision I made).

[@noahzuniga]

as a young chargers fan, beyond the week 17 demolition and week 15 chiefs miracle, that broncos loss against the bills was incredible to me. everyone knew that the broncos would just beat them by default and then it didn't happen, everyone was stunned.

[@ronricherson6685]

2008 was a horrible year for me too; but at least it wasn't on public display

[@Jaztec35]

I was a Chargers fan at the time, and I remember we had essentially given up on the season since the only hope they had was seeing the Broncos collapse. Each week we were keeping an eye on their scores but not thinking much. Seeing them choke it away in Week 16 leading to a beat down in Week 17 for the AFC West title on national TV. Then to sweeten the pot the Chargers pulled off the upset in the Wildcard round against the Colts. Plus I'm surprised you glossed over the fact that even though the Broncos won the shootout earlier in the season, they never should've scored but were given a chance due a botched call by Ed Hochuli. Good times lol

[@danfulop]

1993 Miami Dolphins were an epic collapse. 9-2 after thanksgiving only to lose the last 5 and miss the playoffs

[@reverend_wintondupree]

What a crazy year. All in the shadow of Shula becoming the winningest coach. You could give them the pass as not the worst collaspe due to not only was Marino hurt but both Mitchell and Deberg couldn't stay healthy.

[@marcus813]

What's crazy about that is that the last team the Fins beat, the Cowboys, never lost again after that.

[@danielkelegian5306]

@@marcus813 the following week the Giants started the Dolphins collapse. Man that was a physical game. Deberg was bleeding profusely from his neck after a Corey Miller hit.

[@kessel12]

One thing you left out of that Week 2 matchup was right before Denver scored the go ahead TD, Cutler had the ball go flying out of his hand and it was inexplicably ruled an incomplete pass instead of a fumble. Apropos of nothing, Dwayne Bowe dropping that onside kick ultimately cost me my fantasy league championship that year.

[@jaredtallman7247]

You make good content , I hope your channel takes off

[@jackberinato9911]

I think it must be talked about how the Broncos would also to this the next season in 09 and in 2016.

[@johnm994]

09 was almost as bittersweet as 08. Josh McDaniels talking all that shit, only to finish 8-8 after starting 6-0.

[@ericradford2142]

Actually Carolina was the No.2 seed in the NFC that year. The New York Giants were the no.1 seed.

[@gluserty]

Yeah, the Giants beat them head-to-head (in what I thought was a really good game on Sunday Night Football; I think the game was flexed, but maybe it was on the regular schedule).

[@mgb4692]

Oddly enough Chargers Bucs was the original game

[@Rockhound6165]

And my Cards butt banged the Panthers 33-13 in the divisional round and the game wasn't as close as the score.

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

That was a season where the top 2 seeds in a conference weren’t really spectacular.

[@Venom3254]

@@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly Steelers were the 2nd seed and won it all, the Titans were the 1st seed.

[@andys3035]

Two words explain it, Jay Cutler.

[@fjr70ify]

Let's also not forget '06 for Denver. They were 7-2 and playing at home vs SD on Sunday night. Darant Williams just pick sixes Rivers to go up 24-7 in the 3rd quarter. Things were going great...nope! Lose that game then fall to 9-6 only needing to beat lowly SF at home on New Years eve! Lose in crushing fashion to SF in OT and Darent Williams gets murdered that night. Legend has it that Brandon Marshall started the altercation with the murderer and his gang at the night club.

[@briancoffey4581]

Oh Lord, I remember this like it was yesterday. As a Broncos fan since the original number 7 (Craig Morton) was under center, those last 3 games were brutal. I conceded the Panthers game, thinking "Just beat Buffalo". When the Bills won, I went in to the final game against the Chargers knowing it was over. Denver's run defense that year was like fielding 11 matadors. After Shanahan came Josh McDaniels and the Tim Tebow experiment (Yes, the Broncs won the division and a playoff game with Tebow under center, but not without a lifetime's nerve-wracking moments). Indeed, a harrowing time for the Bronco faithful.

[@colebacca1369]

My absolute favorite ever season as a chargers fan, especially living in Colorado at the time. One of the few spots of an otherwise crappy middle school experience.

[@KinkESizemore]

I became a diehard Broncos fan in 2006. I had to wait until 2011 thanks to their collapses in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

[@Rockhound6165]

I see a lot of people saying that there were bigger collapses but considering that the Broncos were up by 3 games with 3 games to play, this is the worst collapse especially considering that no team had ever been up 3 games with 3 to play and blew it.

[@brianarbenz1329]

I like the lower octane style you had in this. Did the pressures of KZbin cause you to fire up your narration tone so much since then? You’re the best NFL analyst/historian on the internet, at either pace.

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Thanks. Had a different mic up until February 2020 when it broke, and had a different laptop and editing software up until March 2020, when that died after 5 1/2 years of use

[@KJLove-vj5rk]

Found you channel recently, I love your content man

[@FusionCyborg]

Worst Mid-Season collapses? Add the 2021 Baltimore Ravens to that list. Worst Late-Season collapses? Add the 2021 Indianapolis Colts to that list.

[@unclewheelchair]

Great content, although CAR was number 2 that year. Also this collapse is amazing in that DEN started 6-0 the next year and collapsed AGAIN to go 8-8.

[@ironman4122]

Man I miss seeing Polamalu make plays! Love your channel!

[@nintendo8127]

What also needs to be mentioned in the 2008-09 season was that the Chargers were robbed in Week 2 against the Broncos. So arguably the last game of the season shouldn’t have mattered.

[@vpimike2646]

2020 Steelers: "You think that's a collapse? Hold my Iron City Beer."

[@andraethegiant1987]

Nah! The 2018 Steelers had the worst collapse!

[@christianvalentin5344]

A note on the Chargers-Broncos game in Denver that year: Referee Ed Hoculi had completely blown a call on that final drive by Denver. Cutler got strip-sacked and the Chargers recovered the ball. BUT Hoculi prematurely blew the whistle because he thought Cutler was down. Replays clearly showed he wasn’t, but the play couldn’t be reviewed because the whistle was blown. Hoculi admitted a couple days later that he had blown the call. Chargers would’ve have won the game. That being said, watching Denver collapse that year was fun.

[@elijahechicagobearsboyd5734]

So, in other words, that Denver collapse culminating with the Chargers killing them was Karma, Correct?

[@marcwhitlock5002]

Honestly I felt at the time it was karma for the "Ed Hochuli game" earlier in the year that gave Denver the W over San Diego

[@ryanmarshall4332]

Ur killin it. Stay up

[@orbyfan]

How about the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970 and '77? In 1970 they were 8-2-1 and lost their last 3 games to miss the playoffs. In 1977 they were 7-3 and lost the last 4, starting with a 55-14 loss at home to Miami on Thanksgiving and ending with a 17-7 loss in Tampa Bay, which was the Bucs' first home win ever, and second straight after losing their first 26 games, ending Don Coryell's reign as Cardinals' head coach.

[@Rockhound6165]

Worse yet, the Cards didn't win another game until week 9 of the 1978 season. Also, the Cards had a pretty monumental collapse in 1988, their first year in AZ. After week 11 they were 7-4 and in 1st place with 5 games remaining. But Lomax got hurt in their week 11 win over the Giants leaving Cliff Stoudt as the starter. They lost the next 2 games to Houston & Philly prompting Lomax to come back too soon. They then get clobbered by the Giants, then lose a close game against the Eagles, then finally losing to the hapless Packers to finish 7-9. Lomax's career was done after that and they didn't recover until 1998.

[@joeylawn36111]

Since both teams finished 8-8 and were 1-1 against each other, the tiebreaker was Division Record. San Diego got the tiebreaker because they had a 5-1 division record vs Denvers' 3-3.

[@broadstreetbullies849]

First was the 2007 College Football season, then came the 2008 NFL season. Both had more plot twists than Jennifer Lopez has engagement rings

[@timebomb42]

Bruh

[@MilsurpMikeChannel]

2008... the Chiefs collapsed every game it seemed like. They would go up big in the first half and not make any adjustments at halftime... only to blow 2-3 score leads. I thought Tyler Thigpen had potential had he been under a decent coach.

[@colebacca1369]

They had the chargers beat in both games that year, only for the chargers to make a comeback and win by 1 point.

[@A_Notes]

Ron Rivera second to last year at Carolina, went 6-2 the first 8 weeks. But finished the season 7-9 losing the division in the season finale. He was ultimately fired the following season, but he shouldn't have had another season.

[@tylereddy2312]

Good video, I watched this without checking out your channel and assumed you were semi popular, good production I'd just suggest maybe pacing these videos a little faster if you wanna keep with this content, even just ten mins would have been nice, besides that good vid!

[@Kamarov]

The Broncos used to own the Chiefs back then, but now it’s the complete opposite.

[@darkchocolate3390]

Do the 2009 Broncos too lmfao

[@Blues05216]

McDaniels

[@shanemosser]

Lol that's what I thought the vid was gonna be about. Not a pleasant time to be a Broncos fan

[@packisbetter90]

I was thinking this video at first was 09 broncos

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

The Broncos had four season collapses that decade: 2002, 2006, 2008, and 2009.

[@ogreman-lll-957]

Can you do the 2018 Pittsburgh Steelers collapse thanks to the afc west

[@russellseilhamer4552]

From a Jets fan- going from 10-1 to 10-6 and getting blown out horribly in those last 5 games then after beating KC in round 1, the Jets blow a 10 point lead with 4 minutes left in the game in Cleveland and lose in OT- Do a video on the 1986 Jets..... Or the 1978 Packers who started 6-1 but finished 8-7-1 and barely out of the playoffs losing a tiebreaker to Minnesota for the division.... Or the 1978 Redskins who started 6-0 but finished 8-8. Or the 2003 Minnesota Vikings who started 6-0 but finished 9-7 when the Cards got a winning TD on the seasons final play to eliminate Minnesota

[@robertmurdock1848]

I remember that Jet's collapse , the hype they were getting at 10-1 , and the two teams who were playing better at the end of the season and missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers as several teams finished 10-6 in the AFC that season.

[@thomascrowley9122]

Have 2 brothers who were Bronco fans. That was rough for them lol

[@daleburrer1546]

Also the 1987 Chargers should be on this list also as they had an 8-1 record 1st in AFC West and then they really collapsed as they lost the last 6 games to finish 3rd in division and miss the playoffs.

[@fjr70ify]

Yep, Fouts' final year.

[@kevinramsey9265]

And the Chargers were the ONLY "scrub team" that won all there games.⚡⚡⚡

[@kevinramsey9265]

Also Winslow's last season as well

[@veggieoilerfan2940]

@@kevinramsey9265 What about the Redskins? They won all three of their replacement games without a single regular player crossing the picket line.

[@jerrymorgan8526]

They still need a QB...

[@treyblaze22]

The 2022 Titans has entered the conversation.

[@johnpazell8424]

I remember that Chiefs collapse against the Chargers. It led to the firing of Carl Peterson the very next day. You could feel the Chiefs fortunes finally changing, although it took another 4 years.

[@pretorious700]

Two words:Jay Cutler.

[@ThatGreenGuy85]

I love seeing the ticker at the bottom of the screen and reminding me that guys like Ryan Grant and Tavaris Jackson existed.

[@GR-bn3xj]

No collapse was worse than the 1993 Miami Dolphins who started out 9-2, and then seem to lose every game in heartbreaking fashion

[@KMC5240]

What's funny about this is that the Broncos would collapse again the very next season. Not as big a collapse as this one, but still pretty bad. The started 6-0, went into their bye, and then went 2-8 the rest of the way.

[@shwn4922]

And now for today, Steelers start at 11-0 end the season at 12-4 and are a first round playoff out.

[@nickyrussas1266]

2021 Baltimore started 8-3-0 and ended 8-9-0 losing their final 6 games that's a bigger collapse

[@tleoipl37]

Yup

[@Rockhound6165]

The Chargers get in at 8-8 while the 11-5 Patriots didn't.

[@Rockhound6165]

@HENDRIX SOUSA so the Chargers benefitted by being the smartest kid in special class while New England was unfortunate enough to be 2nd in the advanced class.

[@suicidality2744]

The worst collapse ever was the 1993 Miami Dolphins. They were 9-2 best in the NFL and were coming off a win over the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. They then lost there final 5 games and missed the playoffs.

[@Coyotek4]

In Rich Kotite's last season as head coach of the Eagles, Philly started the season 7-2. Six games later, then were out of playoff contention; one meaningless game later, and they capped off an 0-7 finish.

[@tookmyjob]

Their defense was 30th out of 32. The odd stats for me, no RBs with over 100 carries (Michael Pittman lead with 76) and the leading rusher was Peyton Hillis with 343 yards.

[@TripSoul10]

This collapse also affected future nfl drafts. No longer was picks determined based on records unless team plays in super bowl, if you miss the playoffs, record determines your pick then when you lose in playoffs determines your draft order along with overall record.

[@jab1289]

That didn't start until the 2011 draft.

[@Gogetta80]

1:47 I love how Troy p not even on screen yet but comes in hot anticipating that lateral. Iq and awareness off the charts!

[@astrostar49]

How did you find the specific division standings for a given week up to that point on Pro Football Reference?

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

If you type in on Google “PFR standings on any date,” it should be the first or second link. Then you can play around with whatever week you want

[@astrostar49]

@@OfficialJaguarGator9 Hey sorry I didn't see your answer to this post from 3 months ago. Sorry. Thanks for replying back, and helping me out :D

[@jbratt]

Oilers vs Bills. Nw that was a collapse.

[@treyblaze22]

That collapse would eventually lead to the end of the oilers.

[@ShahPhilLeotardo]

“It doesn’t get much worse than that.” Oh but it did with the arrival of Josh McDaniels

[@w.randyhoffman1204]

JG9: No team in NFL history has had a worse collapse than this. The 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers of 2020: Hold my beer.

[@danielkelegian5306]

Steelers made the playoffs.

[@w.randyhoffman1204]

@@danielkelegian5306 And got destroyed in their first playoff game. Considering that people were talking seriously when they were 11-0 about "Can they beat KC to win the AFC Championship?", "Can they win the Super Bowl?", and even "Could they be on the verge of an undefeated season?", I'd say that constitutes a collapse as bad as or worse than Denver's.

[@danielkelegian5306]

i respect your opinion.

[@Rockhound6165]

@@w.randyhoffman120411 points is hardly destroyed. Especially considering they were down 28-0 after the 1st quarter and were still able to make a game of it.

[@gavanholden9276]

Not really a collapse. They made the playoffs. And everybody outside of Pittsburgh apparently knew they weren't as good as their 11-0 record.

[@anthony0358]

I thought the Charges were 4-8 at one point, they beat my Jets and it was their last win of the year. I would include the 1993 Dolphins, 9-2 and losing their last 5 games, plus the 2003 Vikings who were 6-0 and missed the playoffs. Finally the 1978 Washington Redskins were 7-1 and I think they missed the playoffs too

[@grumgi5486]

The 2020 Cardinals (7-3, 8-8) and 2021 Ravens (8-3, 8-9) also come to mind as well, granted under a different playoff format system

[@Tamprd]

JG9: whats about to happen over the next 3 weeks might go down as the biggest single season collapse in the history of the nfl 93 dolphins: am I a joke to you?

[@8avexp]

It cost Mike Shanahan his job.

[@j.a.greene3523]

...and then the Bears thought it would be a great idea to trade for that quarterback. Genius.

[@fjr70ify]

You got the better end of that deal. Not only did we lose Cutler (which was a gut punch) but we got Orton, which was also a kick to the groin!! I was visibly Ill in March of '09 after that trade.

[@j.a.greene3523]

@@fjr70ify So, arguably, the worst deal in NFL history. However, it did eventually lead you to having Tebow and later Manning, so it worked out in the end for you, ha ha.

[@BuccaneerBruce]

Monte Kiffin quit in Tampa Bay, their defense quit and Jon Gruden got canned.

[@shayhicks7682]

While this collapse killed me as a Broncos fan, without it we don’t get super bowl 50. If they don’t collapse shanahan isn’t fired, which means no mcdaniels, which means we don’t trade cutler, which means we don’t need a quarterback, which means we don’t go after Peyton Manning, which means we don’t get loaded, which means no super bowl.

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

Which also means the Broncos defense probably doesn’t get a cornerstone like Von Miller

[@AbleAnderson]

Sorry got distracted of the highlight of Polamalu running in at a full spring and just perfectly timing it and taking the ball into the end zone against the chargers lol. Dude was sick

[@Garrett316]

The collapse of the Ravens 2021 season was pretty epic.

[@declanc9791]

1:45 Troy polamalu being an absolute god

[@TacoMan-qu7du]

You make it sounds like a collapse…but half of it sounds like extreme bad luck

[@1USACitizen192]

All these team were afraid of Pittsburgh Steeler.

[@blade5445]

Worse collapse: Jags after 2017

[@90sgrungefan51]

That home game vs San Diego cutler one play before the touchdown fumbled the ball to the chargers but an inadvertent whistle was blown and denver kept the ball

[@londexe9964]

Who’s here after the ravens had a worse collapse

[@jackatkinson3682]

No, the biggest collapse in NFL History has to be the '93 Dolphins. They had a league best 9-2 record after beating the defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving - only to never win another game that season and miss the playoffs entirely.

[@havelthedeadinside1799]

2019 was the worst collapse for the Dallas cowboys I can remember, started 3-1 just to lose to the jets and finish 8-8 missing the playoffs in a weak ass NFC east

[@jray0717]

Panthers started 6-0 one season finished 7-9 I think

[@JWex-jy7sk]

Nah that never happened, you might be thinking of the 2018 Panthers. Started 6-2 and finished 7-9 2009 Broncos actually started 6-0 and finished 8-8 (Which yeah they actually followed this collapse with possibly an even bigger collapse the next year!)

[@jray0717]

@@JWex-jy7sk your probably right

[@BroncoJosh]

I think the problem was that once the Chargers got hot and started finding ways to win games, The Broncos started to panic. And instead of looking ahead they nervously kept glancing in their rear view mirror.

[@Boltman12278]

I went to the Sunday night winner take all game and the wildcard win the following week. It was awesome!!!!

[@1USACitizen192]

jay kutler should be hall fame.

[@1USACitizen192]

Jay Kutler should be hall fame.