1990
Perhaps the most heartbreaking ending to any team’s NFL season. To go even further, this was one of the most heartbreaking endings to a team’s season in sports history.
The Bills finished the regular season 13-3 and coasted through the AFC playoffs. Then came the showdown with the New York Giants in the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
Optimism was high and the Bills dominated all season long with both an elite offense and defense.
A world championship was a 47-yard field goal away. But not all stories have happy endings.
The Bills lost after Scott Norwood missed the franchise-changing field goal after a great drive down the field by the offense, beginning the string of Super Bowl defeats for the franchise.
This loss is much worse in hindsight. Bills fans and players alike surely expected to continue to be a dominant team, but this ended up being the only time the Bills played a close game in any of the four Super Bowl appearances.
Fans were lucky that this loss didn’t derail the franchise, but fans know now just how important that one kick was. Norwood remained on the team for the 1991 season, but his career and much of the 1990 season will be remembered for one single play.