If the first team or athlete to gain the lead always won, watching sports would be incredibly dull. Come-from-behind wins are what keep things exciting, turning any live contest into a nail-biting drama that comes down to the final seconds.
In this post, we’ll take a look at seven of the most shocking comebacks in sports history. These events have become the stuff of legend, and any true fan of athletic competition is advised to give them a look.
1. 1992 AFC Wild Card Game
The Oilers and Bills collided in the opening round of the 1992 NFL playoffs, and the Buffalo squad seemed at an immediate disadvantage due to an injury to quarterback Jim Kelly. Backup QB Frank Reich filled in, looking on in horror as halfback Thurman Thomas left with an injury and the Oilers built a 35-3 lead. That’s when Reich came to life, mimicking his college days when he had led the University of Maryland to the then-biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Bills captured the lead 38-35 with just a few minutes remaining, but a late Houston field goal forced overtime. Following an interception of Warren Moon, the Bills kicked a field goal to bring the score to 41-38 and complete the greatest NFL comeback.
2. 1978 Masters Tournament
South African golfer Gary Player had twice won the Masters, but it didn’t look as though 1978 was going to be his year. By the end of the third day, he was sitting in 10th place and trailing leader (and defending champ) Tom Watson by a full seven strokes. “The Black Knight” wasn’t ready to give up just yet, though, and he came roaring back on the final day of the tournament. He sank six birdies over the final nine holes to take command of the lead, and he collected his green jacket with a score of 64.
3. The Miracle of Istanbul
Set during the 2005 finals of the Champions League, favored AC Milan jumped to an early lead over Liverpool after a goal from Paolo Maldini during the first minute of play. By the half, the deficit was 3-0 thanks to a pair of goals from Argentine striker Hernan Crespo. It looked hopeless for Liverpool, but then Vladimir Smicer, Steven Gerrard, and Xabi Alonso each scored a goal during a six-minute stretch to bring about a tie. When they won the penalty shootout 3-2, their miraculous comeback was complete. What a soccer game!
4. Muhammed Ali vs George Foreman
While Ali wouldn’t have called this a comeback win, everyone else at ringside thought the former heavyweight boxing champ was getting murdered by the hard-punching George Foreman during their iconic title fight dubbed “The Rumble in the Jungle.” As the fight progressed, Ali used the ropes to lean backwards, allowing Foreman to punish his body while also negating some of the same power that had floored nemesis Joe Frazier six times. The strategy worked, and the reigning champ had nothing left in the tank by the eighth round. Sensing his opponent’s fatigue, Ali went to work with a flurry of punches and recaptured his belts by the final bell.
5. Cleveland Indians vs Seattle Mariners
Played in 2001, this game saw the Mariners (who would go on to tie a MLB record for the most wins in a season) build a 12-0 lead over the Indians by the bottom of the third inning. With the contest halfway over, the score was an embarrassing 14-2. Both sides began pulling starters from the runaway game to avoid possible injury, but then the Indians staged a mind-boggling comeback and brought the score to 14-9 by the bottom of the ninth. Even being down to their last out couldn’t stop a resurgent Cleveland club, and they reeled off five straight runs to send the game to extra innings. In the 11th, the Indians finished off their come-from-behind stunner thanks to a single from Jolbert Cabrera, bringing the final score to 15-14.
6. VfL Bochum vs FC Bayern Munchen
The single greatest comeback in the history of association football occurred during a 1976 match between VfL Bochum and perennial powerhouse FC Bayern Munchen. Bochum enjoyed a dominant 4-0 lead by the 53rd minute of play, but the next 20 minutes saw strikers Gerd Muller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge rally Bayern to a 5-4 comeback. Josef Kaczor tied it up again seven minutes later, but then Uli Honess put the game away for Bayern with a last-minute score and secured their place in soccer history.
7. Sacramento Kings vs Chicago Bulls in 2009
At the midway point of this NBA contest, the Bulls led the Kings by a score of 67 to 43. With 8:50 remaining in the third, the margin had increased to 35. But then the Kings came to life, finishing the quarter with a 19-5 run to cut the lead to 19. Small forward Ime Udoka got hot in the fourth, scoring 15 and helping to narrow the margin to 95-91 with just over two minutes remaining. Rookie Tyreke Evans took it from there, and the Kings celebrated an improbable 35-point comeback while the Bulls were booed off the court by their own fans.
