15 Trick Plays Gone Awry

Fans really love trick plays, when they work.

A well-executed halfback pass or flea-flicker can completely shift momentum in a game and make a head coach look like a genius who is willing to gamble when the time is right. They also tend to get fans fired up. 

But a trick play wouldn't really be a trick play if it worked more often than it failed. A trick play is like a driving shortcut—if it was easy, it would just be the way. 

If trick plays didn't have way more potential for disaster than they do success, the fake double-reverse wide receiver-to-quarterback pass would be a much bigger part of the game plan. That would actually be amazing. 

Unless it's your team, trick plays that fail spectacularly are far more entertaining than those that are executed perfectly. Especially because they often start badly and quickly spiral toward outright catastrophe, turning a football game into an improv comedy show in an instant. 

Here are 15 trick plays that went awesomely awry.

Chiefs Bobbling-the-Ball Fail

Offenders/defenders: Chiefs vs. Dolphins 

What they tried to do: Chiefs attempt what should be a simple double reverse against the Dolphins—not really much of a “trick” in the NFL. 

What happened instead: Kansas City’s trick becomes Miami’s treat when it turned out that the runner and the ball were some sort of repelling magnetic fields. 

What went wrong: Too many cooks in the kitchen. And one of the cooks sucks at picking up footballs. 

Kansas State Behind-the-Back Fail

Offenders/defenders: Kansas State vs. Miami 

What they tried to do: Hoping a little tomfoolery would throw the Miami defense off, Kansas State’s Collin Klein attempts a behind-the-back pass to Chris Harper from inside the 5-yard line. The idea was to score a touchdown, duh. 

What happened instead: They did not score a touchdown. Klein’s pass sucked, which didn’t matter because Harper wasn’t ready for it anyway. Harper was able to recover the ball, but the Hurricanes chased him down for a 19-yard loss. 

What went wrong: Everything. 

Arkansas State’s Dead Man Fail

Offenders/defenders: Arkansas State vs. Miami 

What they tried to do: Arkansas State attempted a diversionary trick play against Miami, with wide receiver Booker Mays dramatically collapsing to the field during a punt on 4th-and-5 that turned out to be a fake. A very ill-advised fake. 

What happened instead: ASU punter Luke Ferguson chucked up a wobbler in the vague direction of two (perhaps ineligible) Red Wolves receivers, which was easily picked off by the Hurricanes’ Raphael Kirby. 

What went wrong: ASU decided to employ someone who thinks that having a nervous punter throw a pass against Miami on fourth down at the 50 is a good idea. That makes the stunningly stupid fake heart attack bit look like the brains of the play. 

Powderpuff Play Fail

Offenders/defenders: Black Team vs. Yellow Team 

What they tried to do: Instead of trying to score with some dignity, the Black Team pulled one of those stunts where the quarterback wanders off with the ball like she’s seeking help from the sideline, but the real plan is to fake everyone out and make a beeline toward the end zone. 

What happened instead: Yellow Team didn’t bite—they didn’t even nibble. No. 85 has her steely gaze fixed on the quarterback the entire time and follows her every move toward the sideline. Once the quarterback made her move, No. 85 easily shoved her butt out of bounds. 

What went wrong: They relied on trickery over talent, which usually ends in failure. 

Wait, WHAT? Another Wrong Ball Trick Play Fail??

Offenders/defenders: Red Team vs. Black Team 

What they tried to do: The wrong ball trick, which is absolutely one of the cheapest tricks in football and should not be attempted by anyone above the age of seven. 

What happened instead: Dude got steamrolled by an anxious go-getter on defense. 

What went wrong: Their coach failed to call a real football play. 

Yale Student Fails at Something

Offenders/defenders: Princeton vs. Yale

What they tried to do: Yale’s quarterback handed it off to someone donning the same uniform and then made his way to the goal line, where he was supposed to rendezvous with the ball and score a touchdown. 

What happened instead: A Princeton defender, who is much faster than Yale’s quarterback, beat him to the ball, intercepted the pass, and ran it back 100 yards the other direction for a touchdown. 

And there were literally tens of people on hand to witness it. 

What went wrong: Nerds tried to play football. 

Brewers Boobery Costs Them an out Fail

Offenders/defenders: Brewers vs. Cubs

What they tried to do: I’m not sure this officially qualifies as a trick play, but it’s certainly an extraordinary fail. It started when Milwaukee’s Jean Segura stole second. Then Ryan Braun was walked. And then the plan was for them both to advance on the next pitch/hit…whatever. 

What happened instead: Chicago changes pitchers, with Shawn Camp taking the mound in relief of Kevin Gregg. Segura’s thrown off and shoots toward third, which doesn’t escape the attention of Camp, who fires to third himself. Segura backpedals, trying to steal second base for the second time, but is called out when the umpire decides he and Braun can’t share it. 

What went wrong: Jean Segura, mostly. 

Virginia Snatches a Drop from the Jaws of a Touchdown Fail

Offenders/defenders: Virginia vs. N.C. State 

What they tried to do: Virginia quarterback Phillip Sims pitched the ball to tailback Perry Jones before rolling out to the side and making a beeline for the end zone to receive a pass from Jones. 

What happened instead: It went almost exactly according to plan, except Sims bumbled around like a fool and dropped the pass without a single human being within a 10-yard radius. YOU HAD ONE JOB! 

What went wrong: Apparently Phil Simms’ quarterbacking genes deteriorate more with each son…so something science related went wrong along the line. 

Flag Football Fail

Offenders/defenders: Blue Team vs. Yellow Team 

What they tried to do: With the quarterback stalling at the line, a girl leisurely crosses the line of scrimmage and begins casually walking toward the end zone. A trick play that had worked for Blue Team just last week! 

What happened instead: Opposing team looks confused for a second, but the obvious brains of the operation got wise real quick and snatched off a blue flag in disgust. Probably thinking, “I know this is flag football, but that was just bush league.” 

What went wrong: Like famed bad decision-maker Icarus, Blue’s coach flew too close to the sun…and his team got burned. 

Johnny Football Trick Play Negated by Double Fail

Offenders/defenders: Browns vs. Ravens 

What they tried to do: The Browns subbed starter Brian Hoyer back in on a play, sending backup Johnny Manziel heading for the sideline, where he pretended to argue with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, but never actually left the field. When the ball was snapped, Manziel took off and connected with Hoyer for a 39-yard gain. 

What happened instead: Cleveland running back Terrance West didn’t get the memo and was called for an illegal shift, negating the play. But that’s not all! After the game, the NFL addressed the play, noting that it was illegal and wouldn’t/shouldn’t have counted anyway. The Browns actually got lucky—the illegal shift only cost them five yards, but the Manziel play would’ve negated the play and cost them another 15. 

What went wrong: Shanahan didn’t do his research, proving once against that he gives nepotism a bad name. 

Syracuse's Sadly Overworked Fail

Offenders/defenders: Syracuse vs. N.C. State

What they tried to do: Syracuse’s plan was to blow the collective mind of N.C. State with a trick play that required no less than three successful handoffs before the Orange could advance. 

What happened instead: By the time Syracuse finished its interteam juggling act, N.C. State was there waiting to strip the ball from the quarterback and recover the fumble. Brava! 

What went wrong: Maybe next time they should just stop at two reverses instead of getting greedy and giving the defense more time to adjust. 

Florida State Fail

Offenders/defenders: Florida State vs. Florida 

What they tried to do: I’m not going to lie here...I have absolutely no idea what they were trying to do. Maybe draw the Gators offsides? 

What happened instead: Um. Two offensive linemen completely missed the snap count. One got off the line very late, the other never got off the line at all—he just stands there like a statue. Oh, and E.J. Manuel got sacked…or tackled after a short gain. 

What went wrong: Um. What didn’t go wrong?

Redskins Fake Field Goal Fail

Offenders/defenders: Redskins vs. Giants 

What they tried to do: Down 24-0 before the half, the Redskins attempted an ill-fated fake field goal…TWICE—a play that truly defines the Jim Zorn era in Washington. 

What happened instead: Their attempt at trickery with an insane formation was thwarted by Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who called a timeout. Zorn decided to follow through with the exact same wacky play, having kicker Graham Gano attempt an awkward pass toward the end zone, which was promptly picked off by the Giants. 

What went wrong: Dan Snyder bought the Redskins…that’s pretty much when all this started. 

High School's Impressive Almost Fail

Offenders/defenders: White HS Team vs. Blue HS Team 

What they tried to do: The white team tried to have the quarterback fake a handoff to the running back, before switching course and pitching it back to the fullback, who was then to throw (ideally) a touchdown pass. 

What happened instead: The white team’s quarterback handles the snap and successfully fakes the handoff to the running back, before switching course and under-throwing the fullback. The ball then bounces off the fullback toward the sideline, with the young man chasing after it. The fullback actually recovers the ball, narrowly avoiding a tackle, gets the throw off that a defender almost bats down and then completes a pass deep in the end zone to a teammate who didn’t have another soul around him. That is some intense mamma jamma! 

What went wrong: EVERYTHING…before it went right...so...so...right. 

Jets Really out Jet Themselves Fail

Offenders/defenders: Jets vs. Bills 

What they tried to do: Because nothing else had worked for them up to that point, the Jets attempted some kind of weird camouflage play against the Bills, having T.J. Graham lay down in the end zone. The expected/desired outcome they expected from the play is unknown, but it’s safe to say things didn’t go to plan. 

What happened instead: The Bills were not fooled for a second—just because someone is wearing a green shirt doesn’t mean they look like grass. Percy Harvin ran it out of the end zone before faking a throw to Graham (aka worst hider ever) and being tackled at the 3-yard-line. 

What went wrong: The Jets tried to walk when they ain’t even crawling yet. They probably should've gone with the wrong ball trick, that seems more their speed.