The Tuck Rule Play (1999)
In 1999 the NFL instituted the contentious tuck rule, which stated that if a quarterback loses possession of the ball while moving his arm forward in an attempt to tuck the ball back toward his body, it will be ruled an incomplete pass. The rule came into play numerous times before it was repealed in 2013, but never in more dramatic fashion than in a 2002 playoff game in the snow between the Patriots and the Raiders. In the fourth quarter, Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson appeared to force Tom Brady to fumble, but the referees invoked the tuck rule to call it an incomplete pass. The call extended the Patriots’ drive and allowed them to kick a field goal to tie and later win the game in overtime.