The Funniest Football Moments Ranked
In July 1950, Rajko Mitić of Yugoslavia was all set to take on the mighty Brazil in the Maracana stadium. But as he bounded gleefully from the dressing room to the field, he managed to crack his head off a girder, causing a severe cut to his forehead. Of course those were the days before substitutes, so Yugoslavia were forced to start the game with only ten men, as Mitić was patched up for the first twenty minutes. With so much riding on football matches these days, there are few moments where players and officials can comically entertain. Therefore when they do, it is generally very memorable. After demolishing Brooklyn, the Kings went on to win their next three games, turning in a seven-game winning streak, the franchise’s longest since 2004.
We all know how retirements can go in the fight game, but this really felt like a farewell. St. Bonaventure got invited to the NIT, which didn’t seem particularly exciting for a group that had been to the NCAA tournament in the past. The Bonnies were matched up against Colorado, on the road, in the first round. Expectations were low and enthusiasm for the event was even lower. The moment was a rare glimpse into the psyche of a superstar athlete, as well as a liberating experience for born-and-raised ATLiens like me. Sure, the first baseman may be in L.A.
One of the keys to the house that Reigns built is that it isn’t just about where he is headed; there are many avenues you can explore. At one point, the entire IWC wanted Sami Zayn to turn on the Bloodline and focus on taking Reigns’s throne. Outside of a few dope pro-wrestling stories (we’re talking to you, MJF), there isn’t much better than the Bloodline. We could be having this conversation again at the end of 2023. The sheer impossibility of this shot. It was like Rory McIlroy had just won the Masters, finally, after chasing it for so many years.
He won gold by a wide margin in the men’s singles competition, the first individual medal for American figure skaters in more than a decade. With the league’s two most explosive offenses squaring off, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen delivered a combined 31 points after the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter. But Messi’s stolen kiss felt so good.
There was the fearless, mustachioed Doug Edert making wild contested floaters, rolling in 3-pointer after 3-pointer and landing himself an endorsement from Buffalo Wild Wings before the tournament even ended. There were undersized bigs like KC Ndefo and the Drame twins finishing strong against the likes of Zach Edey and Oscar Tshiebwe. There was the ecstasy of the school’s tiny student body celebrating without abandon. It’s not the first no-look pass we’ve ever seen. Other quarterbacks, like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and even Ryan Fitzpatrick, have this tool in their bags. But Stafford had enough confidence in himself to trust the fancy technique on THE BIGGEST PLAY OF HIS CAREER. It was a bold move, and I’m happy it paid off.
He closed out the NFC championship game win by forcing Jimmy Garoppolo into an interception, and he pressured Tom Brady eight times in the Rams’ divisional-round victory against Tampa Bay. He faced frequent double-teams, and even an occasional triple-team in the Super Bowl, but managed two sacks (and this incredible one-armed tackle for a loss on a Bengals run play) anyway. But it was that final pressure of Burrow that was my favorite sports moment of the year—the best all-around player I’ve ever seen coming up big on the biggest stage in American sports. It wasn’t a traditional win-and-in scenario. Both of these teams and hated AFC West rivals would advance to the playoffs with a tie.
But those elements pale into insignificance when compared to this. They say lightning never strikes twice, well once is more than enough thank you. Mwepu had the last laugh though, his side only lost by three goals, and the team were allowed to return home. Not Funny Football Moments so much with their heads held high, but at least they still had them. The Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers have become the "Dab Squad." So naturally, during their Dec.13 game against the Falcons, a number of players decided to do the dab for the cameras.
The funniest thing about this is the reason for Arsene Wenger's dismissal. All he did was kick a water bottle in the air. A theatrical display of Academy Award quality.
This includes Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who just dropped out of the picture in what became perhaps the best Vine of the season. Obviously, both Browns and Bills fans made this list. Whoever this referee is, he should instantly be drafted in to become a front line official. Here, prior to a Champions League match, he somehow manages to muscle into the Manchester United team photo, despite clearly arousing the suspicions of a bemused Gary Neville. Not only is he a fraction too late to prevent the goal—arriving with the ball already in the net—but he causes himself some excruciating pain to the amusement of everyone. Here, he demonstrates why teammates might find it hard to get along with him, as he knocks out poor Olivier Bernard.
It was a beautiful representation of just how large Federer has loomed as arguably the greatest to ever play, and also as a worldwide icon. We may not get to watch the Swiss maestro compete competitively again, but his impact on the game will last forever. Many people will remember the 2022 Olympics for the authoritarian setting and the scandal in the women’s skating program, and maybe that’s fair.
We all know how retirements can go in the fight game, but this really felt like a farewell. St. Bonaventure got invited to the NIT, which didn’t seem particularly exciting for a group that had been to the NCAA tournament in the past. The Bonnies were matched up against Colorado, on the road, in the first round. Expectations were low and enthusiasm for the event was even lower. The moment was a rare glimpse into the psyche of a superstar athlete, as well as a liberating experience for born-and-raised ATLiens like me. Sure, the first baseman may be in L.A.
One of the keys to the house that Reigns built is that it isn’t just about where he is headed; there are many avenues you can explore. At one point, the entire IWC wanted Sami Zayn to turn on the Bloodline and focus on taking Reigns’s throne. Outside of a few dope pro-wrestling stories (we’re talking to you, MJF), there isn’t much better than the Bloodline. We could be having this conversation again at the end of 2023. The sheer impossibility of this shot. It was like Rory McIlroy had just won the Masters, finally, after chasing it for so many years.
He won gold by a wide margin in the men’s singles competition, the first individual medal for American figure skaters in more than a decade. With the league’s two most explosive offenses squaring off, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen delivered a combined 31 points after the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter. But Messi’s stolen kiss felt so good.
There was the fearless, mustachioed Doug Edert making wild contested floaters, rolling in 3-pointer after 3-pointer and landing himself an endorsement from Buffalo Wild Wings before the tournament even ended. There were undersized bigs like KC Ndefo and the Drame twins finishing strong against the likes of Zach Edey and Oscar Tshiebwe. There was the ecstasy of the school’s tiny student body celebrating without abandon. It’s not the first no-look pass we’ve ever seen. Other quarterbacks, like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and even Ryan Fitzpatrick, have this tool in their bags. But Stafford had enough confidence in himself to trust the fancy technique on THE BIGGEST PLAY OF HIS CAREER. It was a bold move, and I’m happy it paid off.
He closed out the NFC championship game win by forcing Jimmy Garoppolo into an interception, and he pressured Tom Brady eight times in the Rams’ divisional-round victory against Tampa Bay. He faced frequent double-teams, and even an occasional triple-team in the Super Bowl, but managed two sacks (and this incredible one-armed tackle for a loss on a Bengals run play) anyway. But it was that final pressure of Burrow that was my favorite sports moment of the year—the best all-around player I’ve ever seen coming up big on the biggest stage in American sports. It wasn’t a traditional win-and-in scenario. Both of these teams and hated AFC West rivals would advance to the playoffs with a tie.
But those elements pale into insignificance when compared to this. They say lightning never strikes twice, well once is more than enough thank you. Mwepu had the last laugh though, his side only lost by three goals, and the team were allowed to return home. Not Funny Football Moments so much with their heads held high, but at least they still had them. The Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers have become the "Dab Squad." So naturally, during their Dec.13 game against the Falcons, a number of players decided to do the dab for the cameras.
The funniest thing about this is the reason for Arsene Wenger's dismissal. All he did was kick a water bottle in the air. A theatrical display of Academy Award quality.
This includes Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who just dropped out of the picture in what became perhaps the best Vine of the season. Obviously, both Browns and Bills fans made this list. Whoever this referee is, he should instantly be drafted in to become a front line official. Here, prior to a Champions League match, he somehow manages to muscle into the Manchester United team photo, despite clearly arousing the suspicions of a bemused Gary Neville. Not only is he a fraction too late to prevent the goal—arriving with the ball already in the net—but he causes himself some excruciating pain to the amusement of everyone. Here, he demonstrates why teammates might find it hard to get along with him, as he knocks out poor Olivier Bernard.
It was a beautiful representation of just how large Federer has loomed as arguably the greatest to ever play, and also as a worldwide icon. We may not get to watch the Swiss maestro compete competitively again, but his impact on the game will last forever. Many people will remember the 2022 Olympics for the authoritarian setting and the scandal in the women’s skating program, and maybe that’s fair.
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