10 Potentially "Scripted" NFL Stories from the Past Decade

The NFL is the most popular sport in the country.

In the world of professional sports, stories make up the majority of its popularity: Miami Heat's trio losing in the NBA Finals, the New York Yankees losing in the divisional round of the MLB playoffs and Duke not being able to repeat their championship performance from the year before. 

These are three of the biggest stories surrounding their respective sports this past year. 

When it comes to such sports as the WWE, they are based solely on the entertainment factor.  We all know that WWE is scripted, and oftentimes results are known before the show even begins.  In the NFL, you get the surprise factor of the unknown. 

Except, what if the NFL were scripted? What if in some parallel universe, the NFL had the results before their games were even played?

Before you immediately stop reading, hear me out. 

There are plenty of stories that have made the NFL immensely popular over the years, but more and more, stories have caught the fans' attention in the past decade than ever before. 

Although it is utterly impossible to script such a high-impact, violent, fast-paced sport, anything could happen. 

Here are a few stories from the past decade that could very well be the workings of great writers deciding what's going to happen, rather than the athletes on the field deciding. 

Michael Vick's Resurgence

When Mike Vick was with the Atlanta Falcons, he was one of the most exciting players in the NFL. 

His combination of speed, elusiveness and arm strength made even the most skeptical of fans interested to see what the young man could do.

Then Vick got caught doing some very horrendous things.  He served his time and looked to make a comeback in the NFL.

One of the only teams that offered him a job was the Philadelphia Eagles, to back up Donovan McNabb.

At first, Vick was in Philly primarily as an insurance policy for the oft-injured McNabb.  As fate would have it, McNabb began to decline in effectiveness and was sent on his way to Washington.

That next year, Kevin Kolb was named that starting quarterback over Vick.  In the first game of the season, Kolb would suffer a concussion, forcing him to leave the game.

Enter Vick.

For the rest of that first game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, Vick showed flashes of the brilliance he possessed in Atlanta. 

From that point on, Vick was the Eagles' true starting quarterback and didn't disappoint. 

He brought the slumping Eagles back to form and added even more speed to an offense that was already loaded with it.  After adding Vick in the mix with LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, the Philadelphia offense became one of the most feared in the league. 

Vick and friends would continue their season as one of the best teams in the league.  Eventually, however, they would lose in the playoffs to—yes, the Green Bay Packers. 

Although he didn't lead them to the Super Bowl, Vick once again propelled himself into elite quarterback status.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Vick's rise to stardom once again came to the surprise of many.  Most felt he had been away from the game for too long to be effective.  Vick was able to prove all of the doubters wrong.

This story could have easily been scripted, mostly for the benefit of the league.

When Vick was in Atlanta, he was a hot product.  Everybody wanted a piece of him.  He earned a $100 million contract in a Falcons uniform and duplicated that now as an Eagle. 

Why this would be scripted is because of how popular he was.  The NFL was an exciting place in Vick's first stint, and it has grown to the same levels his second time around. 

Who wouldn't want to have one of the most agile players in the league being successful?  Having Vick be a success after everything he went through is a much better story than him being another victim of personal life circumstances. 

There are so many stories about athletes being in trouble with the law and never being able to get their life back together—having Vick be another failure would be just another black eye to the league's image. 

Peyton Manning's Super Bowl Victory

Peyton Manning is easily one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. 

His mechanics and leadership are comparable only to the greatest of all time. 

For years, Manning had the uncanny ability to lead his team to AFC South Division Championships but never get over the hump and into the Super Bowl. 

Finally, in 2007, Peyton was able to break the stranglehold on his career and lead the Colts to a Super Bowl victory over the Chicago Bears.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Having a star as worldly recognized as Manning without the Super Bowl ring made Manning seem like a failure when it counted.

Fans started to wonder if he could handle the pressure of winning the only game that mattered. 

For years, Manning was compared to Dan Marino—an outstanding quarterback with amazing regular season stats and accomplishments, but never being able to win the big one.

Now, Manning is able to say he can win the big one. 

This could have easily been scripted because of the Manning Legacy.  His dad, Archie, was a great quarterback for the New Orleans Saints and is considered a legend in the NFL. 

Being his son, Peyton had a lot to live up to entering the league. 

When Peyton finally won the Super Bowl, he was able to quiet the critics.  He could finally say he too was a champion. 

This story seems a little too sweet to be reality. 

New York Giants' Super Bowl Upset of New England Patriots

This Super Bowl contest had so much riding on it.

New England was 18-0 entering the game, looking to become the first team to complete a full, undefeated 16-game regular season and win the Super Bowl.

New York was looking to avenge the loss to New England in the last regular season game of the year.  The game where the Patriots, already having the top seed in the AFC and home-field advantage locked up through the playoffs, elected to play their starters the full game in order to remain undefeated. 

The Giants entered the Super Bowl huge underdogs.  Nobody thought they had a fighting chance to defeat a team whom some considered the best the greatest ever assembled. 

Too bad nobody told the Giants that. 

They fought hard and gave it everything they had. 

Thanks to the remarkable gum-on-the-helmet catch by David Tyree, the Giants were able to complete the upset and become Super Bowl Champions. 

How It Could've Been Scripted

What's a more perfect way for an undefeated team to go down than in one of the best Super Bowls of all time?

Not only given how good the Patriots were, but the fashion of the victory of the Giants made this one of the most memorable moments in Super Bowl history.

Eli Manning was MVP of the game, just like his brother two years prior.

Hmm, another Manning wins a Super Bowl and wins the MVP award for the game. Conspiracy, anyone?

It can't possibly be a coincidence that both Eli and Peyton have won Super Bowl championships.  It's so unlikely that it seems too good to be true. 

Pittsburgh's Super Bowl Victory over Seattle

With one of the richest histories in football, Pittsburgh winning the Super Bowl over Seattle was far from unprecedented. 

A team built around strength and leadership, the Steelers made their presence felt, running over the lovable Seahawks all over Ford Field in Detroit. 

This Super Bowl win marked the end of Jerome Bettis'—one of the most loved and respected players in NFL history—and Bill Cowher's runs in Pittsburgh.

Also, this win cemented Ben Roethlisberger as a winning NFL quarterback,  something many were hesitant to call Big Ben prior to this game.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Think about it—the Steelers had gone years without winning the Super Bowl.  This Super Bowl win would've been their 10th in team history, or "One for the Thumb," as their rallying cry was that year. 

Bettis, Cowher and Hines Ward, three of the most beloved figures in NFL history, all gained their first and well-deserved championship rings through this game. 

Giving this team the title that year would've been too perfect to write up, considering that Bettis had already decided that year would be his last no matter what. 

It all starts to come together eventually. 

New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl Victory

This story had more emotional background for more than just the players of the game. 

This Super Bowl was one that was able to help an entire community rebound from tragic events that occurred during Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

New Orleans was one of the most highly-damaged cities after the hurricane, taking years to become whole again.  In fact, when the Saints won their Super Bowl, New Orleans wasn't even completely whole again—it was just beginning to fully recover.

Drew Brees and Sean Payton were the faces of the franchise during their run and continue to be viewed as heroes of the Big Easy. 

Those two were able to make the impossible happen.  Not only did they bring one of the lowliest franchises in NFL history to supremacy, but they gave hope to a community that had all but lost it. 

How It Could've Been Scripted

Does this one really need much explanation?

New Orleans went from one of the worst teams in league history to winning the Super Bowl in just a few years. 

It was a magical moment in so many ways that even if you were a fan of the losing team in that game, the Indianapolis Colts, you couldn't possibly be upset that it was the Saints that you lost to. 

Tom Brady's Broken Leg

Here's one of the few not-so-happy stories.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were fresh off that stunning Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.  They were also disappointed in being unable to complete the perfect season.

Once the 2008 season began, New England was the clear-cut favorite to win the Super Bowl, maybe even giving it another try at a perfect season. 

Unfortunately, fate reared its ugly head on Brady's leg. 

In the first game of the 2008 season (against the Kansas City Chiefs), as Brady was delivering a throw downfield, a defender hit Brady's left leg, bending it in a way a leg shouldn't be bent.

Brady wouldn't return to the game—or even return that season.

Brady suffered a broken leg, leaving him sidelined for the remainder of the season.  With Brady's injury, the Patriots' hopes of returning to the Super Bowl quickly went out the window. 

How It Could've Been Scripted

How often does one of the league's biggest stars go on a huge rampage on the field one year and lose out on the chance to repeat the performance the next?

Brady is one of the most successful quarterbacks to ever step under center.  He and the Patriots 2007-2008 offense set numerous records, often smashing the previous ones. 

After going on a tear like that, the entire world was waiting to see if they could do it again.  Sadly, we will never know if they could have pulled it off twice.

Maybe this was karma biting Brady in the butt for blowing their shot at greatness?  Maybe it's just dumb luck?

One thing is for sure, though.  It was one horrible time for Brady to suffer that injury. 

Kurt Warner, Cardinals' Improbable Super Bowl Run

Who would have thought that a quarterback asked to come out of retirement to help out a rookie would be one of the coolest stories of the decade?

Kurt Warner was a warrior during his time in St. Louis with the Rams, winning one Super Bowl and leading them to another one. 

After that, Warner was brought onto the New York Giants in an effort to help mold Eli Manning to an elite quarterback.  Mission accomplished.

After the 2003 season, Warner retired from football.  After one year of relaxing, Warner was called back to duty to help mold Matt Leinart into an top-tier gunslinger.  Mission failed, miserably.

While Warner may not have been able to  mold Leinart into the elite level—which was probably a lost cause before he got there anyway—Warner did give the Arizona Cardinals something they had never dreamed of before: a trip to the Super Bowl. 

At 38 years old, Kurt Warner led the franchise that was better known for a rant by a former coach than their play on the field to the Super Bowl in 2010 against those fierce Steelers. 

Warner and the Cardinals would lose the game, but not without putting up one of the best championship games in NFL history.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Warner's story of his path to success is remarkable.  From everyday working man to Arena Football hero to Super Bowl hero, Warner owns of the the best success stories in professional sports. 

Take the fact of Warner's history, couple that with the history of Arizona's failures, mix it all up and you've got the recipe for a very cool story. 

Brett Favre's Rise and Fall with Vikings

Brett Favre is one of the most respected and feared quarterbacks ever to step foot on the field.  He's set almost every record there is to set for a QB. 

There is no denying how accomplished the old man was in Green Bay throughout his tenure. He retired the first time, then returned to play for the New York Jets. 

The only memorable thing he did there was taking some pictures that got him into some pretty hot water. 

From there, he retired for the second time, only to return a few months later to play for his long-time rival team, the Minnesota Vikings. 

While there, Favre led a promising team that lacked only leadership to within one ill-advised cross-field pass short of the Super Bowl. 

With so much success in such a short period, it was only a matter of time until Favre's body broke down, giving way to old age.

The following year was less than remarkable.  Favre reverted to his playing ways while with the Jets, failing to accomplish even the slightest hint of what he had done the previous year. 

Eventually, Favre would be relieved of his duties as the starting quarterback, following the season by retiring for the third and presumably final time.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Giving Favre the chance to be the top dog in the NFL one final time makes total sense. 

One last hurrah for a man of Brett's success and popularity level gave the NFL great publicity, at least for a short period of time. 

Favre deserved to have one more great year in the league.  He shouldn't have gone out on the low-light that was his time with New York. 

Couple that with it being with a team he had spent much of his career despising, and you have one great story that needed to be told.

Green Bay's Remarkable Run

One of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports, the heart and soul of all of Wisconsin, the Green Bay Packers are back on top of the world. 

The same team that had legends such as Bart Starr and Favre has found another legend in the making in Aaron Rodgers. 

After narrowly escaping with the final NFC playoff spot the final week of the 2010 season, the Packers went through everybody they needed to to get to the Super Bowl.  Third-seed Philadelphia, top-seed Atlanta and second-seed Chicago all went down, barely being able to put up a fight against the offensive juggernaut the Packers possessed. 

In the Super Bowl, Green Bay's high-powered offense, along with their rough and tough defense, defeated Pittsburgh in another Super Bowl classic. 

Not only were the Packers able to overcome the odds, they were able to do so in very impressive fashion. 

They have once again jumped to the top of the league, something they have been able to do multiple times since the inception of the league.

How It Could've Been Scripted

Green Bay will always be known for winning championships and having major success throughout its entire history.

Teams like New England and Indianapolis can only dominate the league for so long before teams like Pittsburgh and Green Bay take their rightful place on top of the world of sports. 

Sure, new teams winning are always exciting, but it's the mainstay teams like the Packers that make the NFL fun for the old and new generation of fans alike. 

It's teams like that that make fans love the NFL.

Lockout

What better way to get fans interested in the game again than making it appear there quite possibly won't be any games at all?

The NFL lockout this past summer was the biggest story in all of sports.  It made fans all over the country worried that the sport they love would cease to exist. 

Life as they knew it would change—at least for a year.

The lockout affected the players, the owners, the fans, the vendors, local workers, fantasy football nuts, sports media members—the list can go on.  Much like the NBA lockout now, the NFL lockout affected more than just a sport.  Everyone around the NFL had their lives altered, or at the very least put into question. 

Once the lockout was lifted, fans and players rejoiced all over the country. 

They didn't have to go without the hard-hitting tackles, the heart-pounding plays, jaw-dropping plays and amazing finishes.  College athletes didn't become the center of our attention, and everything we've loved came back to us in a flash.

How It Could've Been Scripted

This question isn't really a question at all.  I'm compelled to believe that the lockout might have actually been a huge play by the NFL for a way to gain fan attention. 

Letting people think you're going to take away something from them that they don't want to lose is something people can't let go easily. 

It's like when you were a kid with your favorite blanky.  When your mom said that you had to stop using that blanky, it took a long time for you to be able to get over it, possibly damaging your psyche forever. 

That's what the NFL did to us this summer.  By locking out the league, they were taking away our proverbial blanky.  Luckily for us, they decided to let us have it back.

Stupid is one thing the NFL is not.  Locking out the league made all of us as fans realize exactly what we'd be missing without it.  Football is sometimes something we take for granted, but it wasn't until we realized it was possible for us to never have it again that we knew we needed it. 

The NFL lockout of 2011 was a huge conspiracy.  Possibly even the biggest hoax in the history of the world.