Super Bowl XLIX is now over, marking the end of an amazing 2014-2015 NFL season. As the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots battled it out in what was easily one of the best Super Bowls in current history. Tom Brady overcame the Deflategate controversy to take home his fourth title with the Patriots.:
Super Bowl XLVIII Rematch: The most highly anticipated game of the 2014 NFL season came in Week 3 when the Denver Broncos traveled to Seattle for a Super Bowl rematch. After crushing the Broncos 43-8 in the Super Bowl, the Seahawks came into this game 1-1 after a loss to the San Diego Chargers. The Broncos on the other hand came in having won their first two games and looking for revenge. The Super Bowl was a huge flunk for the Broncos defense, as half of them were injured. And, if that weren’t bad enough, the offensive line didn’t even try. Everyone knew this game would be better, but it was a lot closer than people thought. Playing the toughest road game of the season, Peyton Manning showed the world why he’s the best. With time running down in the fourth quarter, Manning led the team down the field for two touchdowns in a row against the top ranked defense to force overtime. Unfortunately for Manning (although he’s probably used to it by now), his team let him down in overtime by giving up a touchdown to the Seahawks on the first possession.
Odell Beckham Jr. Breaks the Internet: If you haven’t seen this catch yet, then you must not have a computer. There isn’t much to say about this, but it definitely had to be mentioned. With a Dallas Cowboys defender interfering with him, falling backwards into the end zone with the flags flying above him Beckham made the greatest play of the NFL season. In what looked like an effortless catch, Beckham somehow secured the ball with one hand for the touchdown. Don’t think this is a one-time thing either, there are multiple videos of Beckham making insane catches like this that date back to his days with the LSU Tigers. If you don’t believe me go look up his warm up routine before the Pro Bowl. In fact, with the help of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Beckham set the Guinness World Record for the most one handed catches in one minute with 33. Insane
Ray Rice Debacle: Unfortunately, this has to make the list. As if it weren’t bad enough that Ray Rice knocked his fiancé out cold and then dragged her out of an elevator, Roger Goodell tried to cover it up. After only issuing a two game suspension to Rice despite hearing exactly what happened in the testimonies from Rice himself, the video of what happened in the elevator was released to the public and the nation was outraged. Sure, Goodell can claim all he wants that he didn’t see the video; but no one will believe him. Even if he didn’t see that video, it is because he did not search at all or want to see the video. Everyone else had the video but him (or so he says). Obviously, after the video was release Rice was suspended indefinitely due to the public outrage; however, Rice eventually took this ruling to court and was immediately reinstated after the judge found that Goodell knew about what happened in the elevator.
Finally, after letting the Patriots and his good friend Robert Kraft off for Spy Gate and cheating for their Super Bowl rings, absolutely ruining the Saints for paying for performance (a system that other teams including the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens admitted to having as well), and then screwing up the Ray Rice situation there were finally calls for Goodell to retire. As a fan of good honest football, I can only say I wish.