Best Catch of All-Time

[Draft Dodger]

caught the last 5 minutes of the Seahawks/49ers game tonight...

...and got to see one of the best catches I think I've ever seen. That Brandon Lloyd sideline catch was simply astonishing, in a year that's featured some simply marvelous catches already (thinking of the Marvin Harrison catch a couple weeks ago, and a Chris Chambers endzone catch earlier in the season).

it got me thinking about one of my favorite "catches" of all time, which actually wasn't a catch at all. and I'm wondering if my memory really as good as I think it was.

I'm thinking of 00 Ken Burrough's catch in the back of the end zone in the 1979 AFC Championship game against the Steelers. The Steelers won 27-13, but my memory is that this play would have either tied the game, or made it much closer. I recall Burrough bobbled it, but then got possesion, got one foot clearly in bounds, and then barely dragged the other foot in. Replay seemed to show that it was a catch, but, after a long discussion, the refs decided he was out.

Now, MY memory is that call is what lost the game (and a trip to the Super Bowl), but I'm wondering if A) the catch wasn't as amazing as I think it was and B) the Oilers would have lost anyways.

Anyone remember better than I the circumstances around that catch? Also, curious as to other peoples favorite catches...

[Dutch]

Most bizarre and incredible was that catch on MNF by Antonio Freeman a few years ago againsts the Vikings.

I remember a guy on the Philadelphia Eagles in the 80's that was the master of the one handed catch, but damn, I forget his name....and he was awesome.

[Easy Mac]

Joe Jurevicius MNF catch earlier this year, the one where he tipped it to himself in the end zone over another player, then dove around him to make the catch... and you can throw in his other TD catch that game as well.

Also the Mike Williams one-hander.

[ISiddiqui]

Yep, that Lloyd catch was utterly UNBELIEVABLE! I don't think I've seen a better catch. He had to turn back to the outside, get his hand on the ball, and then control it with his one hand, cradle with the other, and get both feet inbounds.

Jaw dropping.

[TroyF]

Harold Charmichael and Mike Quick used to make some great grabs for the Eagles.

The Joe J. catch was amazing. Hard to top the Freeman catch (though that was as much luck as anything else)

Having said all of that, the Lloyd catch may be the best I've ever seen. It had it all, ball being thrown away from him, one handed grab, foot drag. Add in the game situation this occured in and you have something truly incredible.

[MrBug708]

Mike Williams in the OSU game. One handed catched in the endzone

[Easy Mac]

Forgot one:

The Terrell Owens catch against Green Bay in the '98 playoffs. It wasn't the greatest catch I've ever seen, but given the circumstances it was one of the best. The first 49ers win against GB in the playoffs in years. The game winning TD. He went over the middle and got drilled... One of the best pressure catches I've ever seen.

[WussGawd]

Todd Heap, ASU, vs. Cal a few years back. He was a true freshman playing for a not very good ASU team. He was upended in the back of the end zone, falling backward as the pass came in, caught it one handed...was the lead highlight on SportsCenter all night that game. Knew he was going to turn into a good pro tight end from that point forward.

[digamma]

Originally posted by MrBug708
Mike Williams in the OSU game. One handed catched in the endzone

Best one I've ever seen.

[sundeviljjoiii]

It was Mike Renfro and if they would have allowed it the score would have been tied.

[SteelerFan448]

Too hard to just pick one. Guys in the NFL like Harrison and Moss make outstanding catches. Ward and Owens make some great ones. Swann years ago, the Immaculate reception. Then in college now, Fitzgerald and Williams have made some really nice ones this year.

[ISiddiqui]

Don't forget Lloyd's today :D.

[EagleFan]

Yeah, but the play following that catch today was actually the best play of the game... :)

[mckerney]

A catch I saw Reggie Wayne make in Miami where he was in the back of the endzone, the pass was low and he reached as he was falling and just got his hand under the ball for a TD.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
Forgot one:

The Terrell Owens catch against Green Bay in the '98 playoffs. It wasn't the greatest catch I've ever seen, but given the circumstances it was one of the best. The first 49ers win against GB in the playoffs in years. The game winning TD. He went over the middle and got drilled... One of the best pressure catches I've ever seen.

He was absolutely drilled when making that catch as well. It was definitely one of the best I've seen.

[Dutch]

Originally posted by TroyF
Harold Charmichael and Mike Quick used to make some great grabs for the Eagles.

The Joe J. catch was amazing. Hard to top the Freeman catch (though that was as much luck as anything else)

Having said all of that, the Lloyd catch may be the best I've ever seen. It had it all, ball being thrown away from him, one handed grab, foot drag. Add in the game situation this occured in and you have something truly incredible.

Ahhh, Mike Quick, that was the guy! Thanks! And Harold was good too, but he was a little before my time, I saw a lot of Mike Quick on TV. Harold, just a little at the end.

[tucker342]

The catch a couple of weeks ago in USC's final game, at the end of the first half. The USC player made a diving one handed catch, it was incredible.

[TroyF]

That one handed diving catch by Harrison last week was a beauty as well. I remember a Bear a few years ago catching the back of the ball and tippy tapping in the end zone. . . can't remember the play, but it was awesome.

[Vince]

Dude, how about The Catch? Now I'm going to have to fire up SportsCenter to see this catch...damn not being able to watch the 49er game today!!!

[miami_fan]

How about the catch by Charles Rogers against Nortre Dame last year?

[Solecismic]

The Charles Woodson interception against Michigan State probably won him the Heisman. A leaping one-handed grab somehow managing to stay inbounds.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally posted by sundeviljjoiii
It was Mike Renfro and if they would have allowed it the score would have been tied.

ah, see. I knew I had part of it wrong. It wasn't even freaking Ken Burrough.

I had forgotten Joe J's catch earlier this year. that was pretty incredible.

[Vikings13]

Anything Cris Carter ever caught on a sideline was a great catch. That man made a living getting his toes inbounds...

[Front Office Midget]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
Forgot one:

The Terrell Owens catch against Green Bay in the '98 playoffs. It wasn't the greatest catch I've ever seen, but given the circumstances it was one of the best. The first 49ers win against GB in the playoffs in years. The game winning TD. He went over the middle and got drilled... One of the best pressure catches I've ever seen.

Too bad it should have been Packers ball, game over 2 plays over when Jerry Rice fumbled and the Packers recovered. But this was before Instant Replay and the 49ers kept the ball, leading to Owens catch.

[hukarez]

Originally posted by Dutch
Most bizarre and incredible was that catch on MNF by Antonio Freeman a few years ago againsts the Vikings.

I remember watching that game - and seeing that catch in replay really tripped me out for sure! Something about Freeman falling down, ball hitting off his shoulder and him twisting to snag it out of the air, wasn't it?

[Miller Time]

Tony Champion's catch in the 1988 Grey Cup was unbelievable. Leaping backwards in the endzone he made the td grab. He made the catch with a broken rib too.

Mike Williams's was also one of my favourites.

[Front Office Midget]

The Freeman catch vs. the Vikings was incredible. As a Packer fan I remember feeling like our season was on the line in that game, and I remember the weather being really heavy rain. It was an ugly game... 26-20 Packers win after that amazing catch by Freeman.

[primelord]

Toby Wright made an unbelieveable interception for the Rams a few years ago. He dove and snared a pass one handed and as he was falling out of bounds couldn't get his other hand on it to put it away. So he slammed it into the side of his helmet and kept it pinned there as he hit the ground and kept control. It was unreal.

[Huckleberry]

That Mike Williams catch is pretty much the worst catch mentioned on this thread. Not that it wasn't a great catch, but it's not in the same league as most of these.

First of all, an NFL ball is harder to catch than most college balls. More importantly, he caught it with one hand in the middle of the endzone while some of these catches occurred with one hand while going out of bounds and having to get two feet down all at the same time.

[KevinNU7]

Notre Dame vs Penn State in 1992

Rick Mirer to Brooks on a 2 point conversion to put the Irish up 17-16 with less then a minutre left.

[Crapshoot]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
Forgot one:

The Terrell Owens catch against Green Bay in the '98 playoffs. It wasn't the greatest catch I've ever seen, but given the circumstances it was one of the best. The first 49ers win against GB in the playoffs in years. The game winning TD. He went over the middle and got drilled... One of the best pressure catches I've ever seen.

Was at the game- the single greatest football moment in my life, until I attended the 49ers- Giants playoff game two years ago.. :D

Personally, the first play from scrimmage for the 49ers in that game was pretty sweet- TO running through the Giants defense like a horse amongst cows...

[McSweeny]

Vincent Brisby made an amazing diving catch for a touchdown for the Pats a few years back. That one has always stuck with me

[Hijinx]

Rice catching a deep fly route down the sideline, in stride, one handed, with a rams cornerback hanging onto the other arm.

andre woolfolk's off-the-kneepad tip drill catch against nebraska in 2000.

the catch.

Joe J's tip catch... Harrison also had one like that.

The immaculate reception - even though it shouldn't have been :)


mike westbrooks's catch that beat michigan in the mid-late 90's.

the kicked ball on fourth down reception for that nebraska kid against mizzou that allowed them to win the MNC that year.

[mckerney]

My personal favorite is Arlen Bruce catching a tipped pass against #3 Penn State on forth and long, setting up a Dan Nystrom game winning field goal.

[Pacersfan46]

I have to go with that Freeman catch on MNF a couple years back. I couldn't recall it until someone above mentioned what happened.

That was it, bar none. I just can't believe the concentration it took to catch it.