NFL Playoffs: Top 25 Catches in Postseason History

NFL playoffs history added another legendary catch to the collection Saturday evening when unheralded rookie Antonio Brown caught a 58-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger that set up the game-winning touchdown in another classic Steelers-Ravens playoff game. 

And although that catch helped put the Steelers into a fourth AFC Championship Game in seven years, it still wasn't one of the all-time finest.  

A great catch in the playoffs can be one that was of major significance or one that was an unbelievable display of athleticism. 

The rare few that are both occupy the tops few spots on this list.

No. 25: Freddie Mitchell, 4th-and-26

When: 2003 NFC Divisional Playoff Game

Freddie Mitchell owes the former Packers defensive coordinator Ed Donatell (who was fired four days after the Packers' 20-17 overtime loss) for being so wide open: The Packers secondary was 40 yards off the ball by the time Donovan McNabb released the ball. 

Still, Mitchell made a nice catch, then did a miraculous job of hanging on to the ball despite a pair of hits from defenders. 

No. 24: Tony Martin Upsets the Steelers

When: 1994 AFC Championship Game

The top-seeded Steelers were expected to trounce the Chargers, and through three quarters, the Blitzburgh defense completely shut down San Diego's offense. 

After narrowing the deficit to 13-10 late in the fourth quarter, Stan Humphries unloaded a bomb downfield that Tony Martin settled under in perfect stride.

It was a great display of athleticism (although Tim McKyer totally blew the coverage), but what made the play historic was the upset and the fact that it led directly to the Chargers' first and only Super Bowl berth. 

No. 23: Larry Fitzgerald Jump Ball

When: Super Bowl XLIII

Larry Fitzgerald's second touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII was more important: That 64-yard catch and run gave the Cardinals a 23-20 with just three minutes remaining. (Of course, it didn't last, thanks to another entry on this list.)

But Fitzgerald's other touchdown, a one-yarder hauled in early in the final period, was a greater display of athletic brilliance.

Ike Taylor could not have been in better position, but Fitzgerald just beat him to the ball. 

No. 22: The Original Hail Mary

When: 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff Game

Drew Pearson actually made two incredible catches on this same game-winning drive against the Minnesota Vikings. 

The first, along the sideline and back when the force-out rule was still in effect, was tremendous. But it was the second that earned a special place in NFL lore. 

Not only did the play lead to a new entry in the football lexicon ("The term 'Hail Mary' was developed because after the game, I told the press I closed my eyes and said a 'Hail Mary,'" Roger Staubach said years later), but it helped Dallas upset the Vikings and eventually reach Super Bowl X.

Why isn't it higher, then? Pearson TOTALLY pushed off on Vikings corner Nate Wright. 

No. 21: Phil McConkey Bails Out Mark Bavaro

When: Super Bowl XXI

(Fast forward to the 4:20 mark to see the catch) 

The crowd at the Rose Bowl for Super Bowl XXI saw arguably the greatest single day of passing in playoff history. Giants quarterback Phil Simms completed 22 of 25 attempts for 268 yards and three touchdowns.

But that might not have been the case if wide receiver Phil McConkey didn't snag a ball tipped in the end zone by All-Pro tight end Mark Bavaro. 

No. 20: John Stallworth Gives the Steelers a Fourth Super Bowl Title

When: Super Bowl XIV

Early in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XIV, the upstart Los Angeles Rams held a 19-17 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the franchise that had won three of the previous five Super Bowls.

And although his teammate Lynn Swann was the man best known for clutch, acrobatic catches in Super Bowls, John Stallworth used that fourth quarter moment to turn out one of his own. 

The over-the-shoulder grab with a defender shielding his vision was a fitting way for the Steelers dynasty to complete the decade. 

No. 19: Steve Smith Defeats the Rams

When: 2002 NFC Divisional Playoff

(Fast forward to three-minute mark.)

A great catch can also be a great catch-and-run. 

There was nothing particularly special or athletic about the deep post Steve Smith caught from Jake Delhomme in overtime against the St. Louis Rams. But the run to the end zone was. 

Since that play put the Panthers into the NFC Championship Game, which they won, and allowed Carolina to play in one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time, it belongs on this list. 

No. 18: Alvin Harper Seals the Cowboys' Super Bowl Berth

When: 1992 NFC Championship Game

Michael Irvin may have been "The Playmaker" of the 1990s Dallas dynasty, but Alvin Harper made "The Play" to get Jimmy Johnson's young Cowboys to their first Super Bowl. 

With Dallas clinging to a 24-20 lead late in the fourth quarter and deep in their own territory, Troy Aikman targetted the second-year receiver.

Harper made a great catch on a ball slightly behind him, then raced all the way inside the 49ers red zone, sealing the Cowboys' win and a spot in Super Bowl XXVII. 

No. 17: John Mackey's Wacky Touchdown

When: Super Bowl V

(Fast-forward to 25-second mark.)

The sloppiest Super Bowl was filled with turnovers and penalties, so fittingly, the game's first touchdown came on an absurd play. 

John Mackey, arguably the first truly great tight end in NFL history, showed great concentration by pulling in this tipped pass from Johnny Unitas and racing for a then-record 75-yard touchdown. 

That play helped the Colts absolve themselves from the embarrassing loss to the upstart Jets in Super Bowl III. 

No. 16: John Taylor's Super Bowl Winner

When: Super Bowl XXIII

The catch itself was fairly standard: a simple 12-yard post. But because it sealed the 49ers' third Super Bowl and capped off one of the greatest drives in Super Bowl history, it was one of the most important plays ever.

But there is another reason why it deserves high marks on this list. Taylor's catch managed to relegate Jerry Rice's game (he set a record with 11 catches and 215 yards and won the MVP) to something of a footnote. 

No. 15: Butch Johnson's Diving Super Bowl Grab

When: Super Bowl XII

Second-year receiver Butch Johnson had only 12 catches during the 1977 NFL season and didn't record a single reception during the Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XII.

But late in the third quarter, with Dallas ahead, Roger Staubach heaved a ball down the center of the Superdome field.

Johnson dove past two defenders and pulled in the pass with a tremendous fingertip grab. That play gave Dallas a 20-3 lead and effectively closed the door on the Orange Crush. 

No. 14: Ricky Proehl Sends the Rams to Atlanta

When: 1999 NFC Championship Game

The Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV thanks to a late fourth-quarter catch near the goal line that didn't result in a touchdown.

But they only reached that game because of a late fourth-quarter catch near the goal line that DID result in a touchdown. 

With the Rams behind 6-5 in the NFC Championship Game, Kurt Warner floated a fade to the left corner of the end zone which Ricky Proehl, the third-best receiver on the roster behind Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, hauled in for the TD.

The catch itself was phenomenal. And so was the result: The team that was 3-13 the previous season was headed to the Super Bowl. 

No. 13: Shannon Sharpe Bails Out Jamal Lewis

When: 2000 AFC Wild Card Game

(Fast-forward to the 28:55 mark.) 

Tight end Shannon Sharpe made a handful of critical playoff catches during the three-year stretch in which he won three Super Bowls with the Broncos and Ravens. In the 2000 AFC Championship Game against the Raiders, his 96-yard touchdown (the longest in postseason history) gave Baltimore a lead which they never relinquished. 

But his 58-yard grab-and-score two weeks earlier against his former team, the Broncos, was the most incredible. 

No. 12: Mark Jackson Caps Off the Drive

When: 1986 AFC Championship Game

At the end of regulation, John Elway led the Denver Broncos 98 yards to tie the Cleveland Browns and force overtime. "The Drive" was arguably the greatest drive in NFL history.

And while Elway is the one who everyone remembers from that moment, it was Mark Jackson who finished it off, sliding to the ground to haul in the pass just before it hit the ground. 

It only tied the game, and it didn't lead to a world title (the Broncos were defeated two weeks later in Super Bowl XXI), but the catch itself was far better than John Taylor's at the end of Super Bowl XXIII. 

No. 11: The Ghost to the Post

When: 1977 AFC Divisional Playoff Game

(Fast-forward to 50-second mark.)

The greatest pair of hands on a tight end probably belonged to the Oakland Raiders' Dave Casper. He routinely made clutch grabs that were great displays of athleticism. 

In the first round of the the 1977 playoffs, the Raiders won in overtime thanks to a 10-yard touchdown grab by Casper. 

But without an earlier grab from "The Ghost," Oakland might not have reached sudden death.

Casper never gave up on a ball that seemed to float in the air forever. 

No. 10: Santonio Holmes Topples the Patriots

When: 2010 AFC Divisional Playoff Game

Holmes' penchant for remarkable playoff touchdown catches punctuated by toe-dragging footwork is well documented. And although it wasn't the most remarkable of his short career, the fourth-quarter grab he made Sunday night against New England was fantastic. 

Not only did it essentially win the game for the underdog Jets (it made the score a two-possession game with 13 minutes to play), but it was the fourth decisive catch he made in just 14 games with the club. 

No. 9: Isaac Bruce From Kurt Warner for the Lombardi Trophy

When: Super Bowl XXXIV

(Fast-forward to one-minute mark.)

Ricky Proehl's catch (No. 14 on this list) may have gotten the Rams to Super Bowl XXXIV, but Isaac Bruce's 73-yarder from Kurt Warner won it. 

With just over two minutes remaining, Warner hit Bruce in perfect stride, setting up the nail-bitting drive by the Titans and Mike Jones' tackle of Kevin Dyson. 

And without that play, the Warner legend isn't quite as memorable. 

No. 8: The Sea of Hands

When: 1974 AFC Divisional Playoff Game

(Fast-forward to two-minute mark.)

The greatest plays have nicknames attached to them. And Clarence Davis' catch amongst a "sea of hands" (aka a swarm of Miami Dolphins defenders) was one of the greatest in history.

Behind 26-21 with under a minute remaining, Ken Stabler avoided the pressure and chucked the ball into the end zone. 

Davis somehow pulled in the football to advance the Raiders to the AFC Championship Game. 

For the record, Fred Biletnikoff's catch earlier in the game was pretty remarkable. 

No. 7: Terrell Owens Makes His Mark

When: 1998 NFC Wild Card Game

Dubbing it "The Catch 2" might be a bit overstating the play. Still, Terrell Owens' 25-yard touchdown from Steve Young on the final play of a Wild Card game at Candlestick was one of the greatest moments in Wild Card history.

With the 49ers down 27-23 and only one play left, Owens overcame two critical drops earlier in the game to haul in the game-winner. 

From then on, Owens was one of the league's best players. 

No. 6: The First Touchdown in Super Bowl History

When: Super Bowl I

The first touchdown in Super Bowl history was fittingly an amazing display of concentration and hands. 

Despite being woefully hungover after spending a night out partying in Los Angeles (he was a backup and didn't expect to play), reserve tight end Max McGee hauled in a pass that was way off target. Quarterback Bart Starr had been hit, knocking the ball off its intended path.

McGee would later nab another juggling, circus catch, but his first was the most incredible. 

No. 5: The Immaculate Reception

When: 1972 AFC Divisional Game

Debate the legality of the play all you want (was it illegally touched by Frenchy Fuqua? Did the ball hit the ground before Harris pulled it in?), but that doesn't deny the fact that the Immaculate Reception was one of the finest plays in sports history.

Not only was it a bona fide miracle, but it ended 40 years of futility and marked the start of the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s. 

No. 4: Lynn Swann's Levitating Leap

When: Super Bowl X

Dubbed "The Levitating Leap" by NFL Films, Lynn Swann's 53-yard catch from Terry Bradshaw was perhaps the most athletic play in Super Bowl history.

He stretched out to make the grab over a defender all over him.

The only reason we can't put it higher on the list? It didn't even lead to a score: The Steelers missed a 36-yard field goal at the end of that drive and went into halftime behind 10-7. 

Of course, Swann would later score the game-winning touchdown via a 64-yard grab (again over poor Mark Washington) and give the Steelers a repeat title. 

No. 3: The Catch

When: 1981 NFC Championship Game

What do we need to say about a play simply known as "The Catch"?

Dwight Clark hauled in the pass thrown far over his head, pulled it down in bounds and scored the game-winner in the fourth quarter against the mighty Cowboys.

That play may have gave birth to a dynasty, and was as wonderfully athletic as any on this list, but because it didn't come on the grandest stage, it cannot be number one. 

No. 2: David Tyree Uses His Helmet and Hands

When: Super Bowl XLII

It's probably the greatest single play in Super Bowl history, and it came in arguably the greatest game/upset in Super Bowl history. 

But taking into account all the factors needed to decide the greatest catch in playoff history, Tyree's grab from Eli Manning has to be the runner-up. 

It may have led to a touchdown, but it wasn't a touchdown. 

No. 1: Santonio Holmes Wins Super Bowl XLIII

When: Super Bowl XLIII

Santonio Holmes six-yard touchdown grab with 35 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIII has to be considered the finest in the history of the postseason. Here's why:

—It was a great fingertip catch with the receiver falling down as he grabbed it.

—Holmes' tip toes barely scrapped a few blades of red grass in the end zone, but he did stay in bounds.

—It came as his team was trailing with less than a minute remaining.

—It was the game-winning score that led directly to a Super Bowl triumph.

Holmes' stay in Pittsburgh may not have lasted long, and his return this weekend to Heinz Field will be greeted by a never-ending chorus of boos. But he did give the team, and NFL history, the greatest postseason catch of all time.