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The playoffs. Less than two minutes to go. You need a score to win, but you’re far away from the end zone. And then a miracle happens.

There have been just 8 touchdowns in NFL playoff history that meet the following four criteria:

  • The touchdown came in the final two minutes of regulation or at any point in overtime;
  • The touchdown was at least 50+ yards;
  • The touchdown tied or gave the team the lead;
  • The touchdown was scored by the winning team.

Here are those eight scores.

1975 Divisional Round, Cowboys/Vikings: Drew Pearson 50 yard pass from Roger Staubach

The original Hail Mary: trailing 14-10 with 32 seconds remaining, the Cowboys season looked over until Captain Comeback had one more miracle in him:

The Cowboys would make it to the Super Bowl that season, but lost a heart breaker to Pittsburgh, 21-17.

2003 Wild Card Round, Packers/Seahawks: Al Harris 52 yard interception return

The Seahawks tied the game in the final minute of regulation, and the Packers responded with a quick drive to set up a 47-yard field goal. The kick was no good, however forcing overtime with the teams tied at 27 apiece. The Seahawks and Packers traded three-and-outs, before Seattle started driving. With the ball at their own 45, on 3rd-and-11, Harris ended the game with a pick six of Matt Hasselbeck:

A week later, the Packers suffered their own heartbreaking loss, following a 4th-and-26 conversion against the Eagles.

1972 Divisional Round, Steelers/Raiders: Franco Harris 60 yard pass from Terry Bradshaw

The Immaculate Reception needs no introduction.

The Steelers would lose the next week to the undefeated Dolphins, but this is the play that defines the Pittsburgh dynasty.

2017 Divisional Round, Vikings/Saints: Stefon Diggs 61 yard pass from Case Keenum

The Vikings hopes were shattered. After blowing a 17-point lead, Minnesota was 61 yards away from the end zone with just 10 seconds left in the game. With no timeouts left, the home team needed a miracle, and got one in the form of the first ever walkoff touchdown in the 4th quarter of a playoff game:

Minnesota now travels to Philadelphia for the NFCCG, but the Vikings remain a favorite to be the first team to ever host the Super Bowl.

2003 Divisional Round, Panthers/Rams: Jake Delhomme pass complete to Steve Smith for 69 yards

The Panthers and Rams staged a classic. Carolina was a 7-point road dog but led most of the way; the Rams scored 11 points in the final 3 minutes to force overtime. Then, on the second play of double overtime, this happened:

Carolina would go on to make the Super Bowl, where it suffered its own form of heartbreak against the Patriots.

2012 Divisional Round, Ravens/Broncos: Jacoby Jones 70 yard pass from Joe Flacco

With 41 seconds left, Flacco and the Ravens were running out of not just time, but hope. With 3rd-and-3 on the Ravens own 30 yard line, down 35-28, Flacco heaved a miracle:

Of course, from there, the Ravens not only beat the Broncos in double overtime: Baltimore rode Flacco’s arm and Jones’s legs to a Super Bowl victory.

1999 Wild Card Round, Titans/Bills: Kevin Dyson 75 yard kickoff return

With 16 seconds left, the Bills kicked a go-ahead field goal to give Buffalo a 16-15 lead. Buffalo just needed, well, this to not happen:

Tennessee, like so many others on this list, would suffer their own heartbreak later in the playoffs, coming up one yard shy in the Super Bowl.
2011 Wild Card Round, Broncos/Steelers: Demaryius Thomas 80 yard pass from Tim Tebow

The Broncos blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter as 7.5-point home underdogs. But on the first play of overtime, yet another Tebow-induced miracle occurred:


Denver’s heartbreak was not a crushing defeat, but a date with reality: a week later, the Broncos lost 45-10. Tebow never started another game.

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