Throughout NFL history, pivotal moments have occurred that significantly impact the entire complexion of the NFL. If these moments didn't happen or happened differently, we'd be fans of a considerably different league. So let's dive into the 9 biggest what-ifs in NFL history:
What if Scott Norwood made the kick?
Super Bowl XXV between the Giants and Bills came down to a last-second field goal, in which Bills' kicker Scott Norwood famously missed it wide right. This missed field goal was the first of four straight Bills' Super Bowl losses, and Buffalo still hasn't gotten over the hump.
But if Norwood had made the kick, a young Bill Belichick was the Giants' defensive coordinator and he would have stayed with the team to try to win the Super Bowl. If Belichick hadn't left for Cleveland, Patriots owner Robert Kraft would not have considered him for a head coaching job, meaning no Patriots dynasty. But more importantly, the Bills Mafia would have a Lombardi Trophy, a tangible reward for their decades of loyal fandom.
What if the Seahawks ran the ball?
You know the story. The Malcolm Butler interception created a riff between Seahawks' players and coaches that caused most of the pieces of that superb Seattle team to leave town. The mighty Legion of Boom collapsed and the Seahawks haven't gotten past the divisional round since. But if the Seahawks gave the ball to Marshawn Lynch and won Super Bowl XLIX, their world-class defense would have stayed intact and they could have challenged for a three-peat. Seattle also could have overthrown the Patriots as the new dynasty, and Russel Wilson could have been a hall-of-fame lock.
What if the Bears drafted Patrick Mahomes?
In the 2017 draft, three quarterbacks were capable of being drafted in the first round: Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Mitchell Trubisky. Mahomes and Watson were both game-changing franchise quarterbacks, but the Bears drafted Mitchell Trubisky. The Bears had a top-tier defense during the late 2010s, but Trubisky's lack of arm strength and pocket poise have been why Chicago can't get over the hump. While the Bears would, in theory, contend for a Super Bowl if they drafted Patrick Mahomes, we don't know how well Mahomes would have fit into Matt Nagy's offensive system.
What if the tuck rule didn't exist?
No one knew it at the time, but one play in the 2001 Divisional shaped the entire complexion of 21st-century football. A Tom Brady fumble that should have been a Raiders' victory, was overturned thanks to a rule no one had heard of. The Patriots came from behind to win the game and proceeded to win 6 Super Bowls during the following 20 years.
Tom Brady was initially the backup for the Pats during the 2001 season and would have likely remained second-string for the following season if the tuck rule did not exist. Not only would the Patriots dynasty cease to exist, but the many teams they defeated in the playoffs would have won and maybe created dynasties of their own. Especially the powerhouse Rams of the early 2000s, nicknamed, "The Greatest Show on Turf". The tuck rule was later overturned in 2013.
What if Joe Namath lost his guarantee?
A drunk Joe Namath didn't know it at the time, but guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory cemented his football legacy. Though the 15-point favored Colts could have won Super Bowl III if they had played like they should have, or with a few lucky bounces. Whatever the case, Namath would have looked like a fool. But more importantly, the AFL was viewed as the little brother to the NFL at the time and wouldn't have proved itself if the Jets lost. And after losing the first three Super Bowls, the AFL would have folded instead of merging with the NFL. Without the merger, the NFL would be a considerably different league, with many of its greatest dynasties, such as the Steelers, Broncos, and Patriots, never occurring.
What if Eli Manning stuck with the Chargers?
In the 2004 NFL draft, quarterback Eli Manning was selected by the Chargers. But Manning refused to play for San Diego and held out long enough to get an offer from the Giants. Eli Manning went on to win two Super Bowls with the Giants, but what would've happened if he decided to play for the Chargers?
While he would be handing the ball off to a hall-of-fame running back, LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers have notoriously bad ownership and management. If Phillip Rivers couldn't make it past the divisional round, it's unlikely Eli Manning would bring San Diego a Lombardi Trophy.
And as for the Giants, they likely would have drafted Phillip Rivers, but we simply don't know if Rivers would have been clutch for the Giants like Manning was. Maybe the 07 Patriots would have become the first 19-0 team if Eli Manning and the Giants hadn't beaten them in the Super Bowl.
What if Jerry Jones hadn't fired Jimmy Johnson?
After the Cowboys won two straight Super Bowls in convincing fashion, head coach Jimmy Johnson and owner Jerry Jones were battling for the credit. This power struggle and Jerry Jones's big drunken mouth drove Jimmy Johnson out of town after back-to-back Super Bowl victories. Johnson's replacement, Barry Switzer, was much less disciplined which caused the team to descend into dysfunction.
But if Johnson had remained in Dallas, the Cowboys would have likely been the only team to win three straight Super Bowls and may have forged a dynasty as illustrious as New England's. Instead, the Cowboys have become a laughing stock for the past 25 years, coming up short in the playoffs season after season.
What if Tom Brady opted to play baseball?
In round 18 of the 1995 MLB draft, the Montreal Expos drafted Tom Brady as a catcher. Brady opted to play football instead, and we all know how that ended. But if he instead decided to play baseball for the Expos, would he have become the G.O.A.T. of baseball? Or would Brady have been merely a benchwarmer? We don't know and have no way of knowing, but I'm sure Patriots fans are glad the Hall-of-Fame QB chose the gridiron.
What if the 49ers drafted Aaron Rodgers?
Only a year after Eli Manning refused to play for the Chargers, the 49ers made a pivotal decision in the 2005 draft. San Francisco held the first overall pick and passed on Aaron Rodgers to pick the other first-round quarterback, Alex Smith. Rodgers fell to the late first round where he was drafted by the Packers. Rodgers won Green Bay a Super Bowl and proved to be a generational talent, while Alex Smith was a solid quarterback but not a game-changer.
If the 49ers drafted Aaron Rodgers they likely would have gone to at least one Super Bowl, with a wide-open NFC and an elite defense. But if Green Bay missed out on the generational QB, the Bears or Vikings could have become kings of the North and gone on deep playoff runs with their high-quality defenses and without Aaron Rodgers.
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