NFL games are supposed to be decided by the players, but that is not always the case. Each team has 52 of the best football players in the world, so people tune in to see some of the best athletes in the world compete, but unfortunately, sometimes referees stick their noses in and completely change the outcome of the game.

Referees have caused some of the most controversial moments in NFL history. Whether they throw the flag on a clean play, don’t throw one on an obvious penalty, or fail to make the right call on a catch, their decisions can change the outcome of games, and sometimes championships.

Today, we’ll be highlighting five of the most controversial calls that still divide the NFL.

5. The Fail Mary

In 2012, the NFL’s referees went on a lockout, leaving the NFL to find replacement refs for the first three weeks of the season. As you can imagine, that didn’t go too well. There were missed calls across the league, but the ending of the Week 3 game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks was the most controversial of them all. This game became the tipping point of the lockout, as frustration from players, coaches, and even broadcasters had already been building over the first two weeks.

The Packers found themselves leading 12-7 with mere seconds left on the clock. Russell Wilson dropped back to pass and lobbed one up to Golden Tate, who came down with the football, but M.D. Jennings also had two hands on it and was fighting with Tate as the two went to the ground. Replays showed Jennings appearing to gain clearer control first, which is why many Packers players immediately celebrated as if the game was over.

Two refs quickly rushed in, looked at each other, and promptly gave opposite calls, with one ruling it a touchdown and one ruling it an interception. They reviewed the play and ultimately confirmed it as a catch, but this play caused quite a stir among NFL fans.

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4. The Immaculate Reception

The Immaculate Reception is one of the most famous plays in NFL history. With under 30 seconds left on the clock, it looked like the Pittsburgh Steelers were out of their AFC Divisional Round game against the Oakland Raiders.

But by some sort of a miracle, Terry Bradshaw fired downfield before the ball ricocheted and launched 10-15 yards backwards before it was caught by Franco Harris, who then ran it in for a touchdown to help the Steelers win their first playoff game in franchise history and kick-start their 1970s dynasty.

But was it legal? Steelers fans will tell you the ball ricocheted off the Raiders’ defender. And while that may be the case, there’s a strong argument to be made that the ball made contact with the Steelers’ receiver before it was caught. Back then, the ball couldn’t touch another offensive player before it was caught, so many believe the play never should’ve stood. With no instant replay available in 1972, the officials had to rely entirely on live judgment, which is why the debate has never been definitively resolved.

If this play had been overturned by the refs, you have to wonder how it would’ve changed the future of both of these franchises. Instead, it became a foundational moment for Pittsburgh’s rise, adding even more weight to the controversy decades later.

3. Dez Caught It

The 2015 NFC Divisional Round game was another one that went down in history. With 4:50 to play, the Dallas Cowboys trailed the Green Bay Packers, 26-21. The Cowboys were looking to make it to the NFC Championship game for the first time in the Tony Romo era, but they fell just short because of one of the most controversial calls in NFL history.

On 4th-and-2, Romo launched one downfield to Dez Bryant, one of the best downfield receivers in the league. He had one-on-one coverage and went up and made the catch, but as he came down and extended towards the goal line, the ball popped loose. He was originally called down at the one-yard line, but upon review, the play was overturned, and Green Bay got possession of the ball. The reversal came after a lengthy review, which only intensified the reaction inside Lambeau Field and among viewers who had already begun treating the play as a defining moment.

Bryant high-pointed the football, obviously had possession, took two steps, and made a football move by lunging for the goal line, but the refs claimed he didn’t survive the ground. Based on the rules the NFL had in place at the time, this was not a catch. But with some rule changes since then, today, it would be ruled a catch. The play became one of the primary examples cited when the league later simplified its catch rule, showing how one moment can expose larger issues within the rulebook itself.

Were the Cowboys cheated out of their first NFC Championship appearance in nearly 20 years? I think so.

2. The Tuck Rule

The Tuck Rule is one of the most infamous plays in NFL history. In the 2001 AFC Divisional Round game, the New England Patriots had the football trailing the Oakland Raiders, 13-10. With just a few minutes left, the Patriots needed a field goal to tie, but Tom Brady went to throw the ball, and seemingly fumbled away the Patriots’ chances. The Raiders recovered and would’ve been able to run out the clock, but after review, the refs determined that, despite Brady stopping his throwing motion and trying to tuck, he did not fumble the football, and instead it was ruled an incomplete pass.

The Patriots went on to kick the game-tying field goal to send the game to overtime, and then they won 16-13. advancing to the AFC Championship while the Raiders were sent home, and New England would capture their first of six Super Bowls with Tom Brady under center.

It would take until 2013 for the tuck rule to be abolished, and I think we can all agree it was for the better. Brady fumbled that football, there’s no doubt in my mind.

1. The NOLA No Call

The biggest ref blunder in NFL history has to be the New Orleans no-call in the 2019 NFC Championship game. With under two minutes to go, the New Orleans Saints had the football in a tie game at the 13-yard line. It was 3rd-and-10, and with a first down, the Saints could all but ice the game. They could run out the clock and kick a chip-shot field goal to head to the Super Bowl, but instead, the refs blew it.

On third down, Drew Brees threw a wheel route to Tommylee Lewis, who was hit way too early by Nickell Robey-Coleman (who later admitted it should’ve been a penalty). Instead of throwing the flag for a blatant pass interference, the refs held the flag, and the Saints had to kick a field goal with 1:41 still on the clock. The Rams would tie the game and send it to overtime, but the game never should’ve even gotten to that point.

But the Saints still had a chance to win it in overtime. They had the ball near midfield and could’ve won it with a touchdown, but Drew Brees threw an interception, which led to the Rams kicking a game-winner and heading to the Super Bowl. But what a lot of people don’t know is that the refs missed another blatant penalty. Brees was clearly hit in the face on his interception, so there should’ve been a roughing or illegal hands to the face penalty called, but once again, the refs held onto their flags.

The refs robbed us of a Drew Brees vs Tom Brady Super Bowl, and instead, we got to see one of the most boring Super Bowls in NFL history.