The biggest goats in Super Bowl history

1. Scott Norwood, Super Bowl XXV

Two words: Wide right. Norwood had the chance to be the hero with the Bills trailing the Giants 20-19 with eight seconds left, but his 47-yard field goal missed — you guessed it — wide right. Norwood took a lot of scrutiny — and still does to this day. He had made just 1-of-5 field goals from 40-plus yards on grass that season, and even Bills coach Marv Levy knew this was on the tail end of Norwood’s kicking range, though he had connected on his only other attempt in the game, from 23 yards away.

“You don’t get a second opportunity. If I had a second opportunity I may do something a little different,” Norwood said after the game. “I missed an opportunity for this team. I feel badly. I let a lot of people down.” 

2. Rich Gannon, Super Bowl XXXVII

Gannon, who was the league MVP that season, had one of the worst performances by a quarterback in Super Bowl history. He completed 24-of-44 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a Super Bowl-record five interceptions. Three of those picks were returned for touchdowns as the Raiders’ 3-0 lead quickly turned into a 34-3 deficit. Gannon was also sacked five times as the Buccaneers blew out the Raiders 48-21.

3. Jackie Smith, Super Bowl XIII

He may have been one of the best tight ends of his time and eventually made the Hall of Fame, but in this game, Smith cost the Cowboys a Super Bowl. The Steelers had a 21-14 lead late in the third quarter as the Cowboys drove down the field, and Roger Staubach threw a perfect pass to Smith, who couldn’t catch it even though it hit him square in the chest. Dallas kicked a field goal instead of tying the game, and would lose 35-31, making Smith’s drop loom larger.

4. Kerry Collins, Super Bowl XXXV

For as good as he was in the NFC Championship (five touchdowns, 381 passing yards), Collins was that bad in the Super Bowl. He was 15-for-39 with 112 yards and four interceptions, which tied a Super Bowl record at the time. Collins and the Giants could get nothing going on offense against the Ravens, as he finished with a passer rating of 7.1. When the Giants were down 10-0 in the third quarter and driving, Collins threw a pick-six to Duane Starks that gave the Ravens an insurmountable 17-0 lead.

“This is the most disappointing loss I’ve ever been involved with,” Collins said. “I’m disappointed in the way I played. I didn’t see the field well. They completely took me out of my rhythm.”

5. Earl Morrall, Super Bowl III

It wasn’t easy replacing starting quarterback Johnny Unitas, who was injured, but Morrall was up to the task, winning the MVP that season. He got the start in the Super Bowl even though Unitas was back and healthy. Despite being overwhelming favorites over the Jets, Morrall was just 6-for-17 with 71 yards and three interceptions before he was benched in the third quarter. The Colts would go on to lose the game 16-7 in a game better known for Joe Namath’s guarantee than Morrall’s poor play.

6. Eugene Robinson, Super Bowl XXXIII

Making his third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl, Robinson had a fantastic season, and was named to the Pro Bowl. But the night before the Super Bowl, the Atlanta safety was arrested for soliciting a police officer posing as a prostitute. The Falcons didn’t discipline him and he played in the game, but allowed the Broncos several big plays, including an 80-yard touchdown to Rod Smith and missed a tackle on a big Terrell Davis run. Denver would win 34-19, but Robinson said he wasn’t distracted.

“When it came to the game, I was extremely focused today,” Robinson said afterward. “[The incident] didn’t affect my play because it was pretty much therapeutic. … I got to do what I do best, which is be a football player.”

7. Fran Tarkenton, Super Bowl IX

Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls in four years but never won any of them. In the second one — a 16-6 loss to the Steelers — he had one of his worst performances, as he was just 11-for-26 for 102 yards and three interceptions. He was also sacked twice and tackled in the end zone for a safety after fumbling the ball, which gave the Steelers an early lead.

8. Wes Welker, Super Bowl XLVI

The sure-handed Patriots receiver had seven catches for 60 yards against the Giants, but couldn’t make the most important catch of the game. With New England leading 17-15 with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady threw on second-and-11 to an open Welker, but the ball hit his hands and he failed to haul it in at the Giants 20. The Patriots had to punt two plays later, instead of possibly taking a two-possession lead. The Giants went on to win 21-17.

“It’s one of those plays I made 1,000 times,” Welker said. “I mean, it’s a play I never drop, I always make. Most critical situation and I let the team down.”

9. Stanley Wilson, Super Bowl XXIII

The Bengals running back was a goat despite not even playing a snap in the game. The night before the Super Bowl, he was found in a bathroom doing cocaine and was left off the roster. Being his third offense, Wilson was also banned from the league for life. He started six games during the season for the Bengals, and was a key factor in Cincinnati reaching the Super Bowl, won by the 49ers 20-16.

“I wish we had Stanley Wilson,” then-Bengals coach Sam Wyche told FOX Sports in a recent interview. “Stanley Wilson was one of those Barry Sanders-type runners who kept his feet low to the ground and dart left and right. He’d have had people falling down. I think he would have had a big day rushing the ball, but we’ll never know.”

10. Thurman Thomas, Super Bowl XXVI

After an MVP-type performance in the previous Super Bowl (135 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards and a touchdown), Thomas’ second act wasn’t as superb. He rushed for just 13 yards on 10 carries, though one of them was a 1-yard TD run, as the Bills lost their second-straight Super Bowl, 37-24, against the Redskins. Thomas’ night got off to an inauspicious start after he misplaced his helmet and had to miss the Bills’ first few offensive plays before the helmet was returned to him.