3. The Tuck Rule
This is one of the most notorious games in NFL history because it ignited a dynasty. The Patriots played the Raiders on a very snowy day in Foxborough. The conditions were so bad that the Raiders were barely visible on the field in their white uniforms. Oakland led into the fourth quarter of the divisional playoff game but there was a twist on the horizon. Tom Brady took possession in the fourth quarter but he fumbled (via WBUR).
However, the Patriots invoked the little-known Tuck Rule. Essentially, the referee ruled that it wasn’t a fumble because Brady had brought the ball back into his body and was in a throwing motion when Charles Woodson hit him. This was a moment that gained notoriety over time because of the Patriots’ reputation for cheating. In 2013, the NFL owners voted the Tuck Rule out because it needlessly caused controversy.
