"I'll go to my grave wishing I'd been better" – When NFL referee admitted making error during controversial Super Bowl XL
Over the years, the NFL has provided fans with some spectacular games on the grandest stage of them all. We are, of course, referring to the Super Bowl. Considered the pinacle of the sport inequvocably, the yearly affair has always been a spectacle to behold.
Some have etched lasting impression thanks to the skills on display, while others have left a mark due to some questionable referring decisions. Super Bowl XL is an example of the latter. When the Seattle Seahawks took on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL back in 2006, fans were left aghast by the number of botched calls made by referee Bill Leavy.
It was indeed so bad that to this day, some NFL fans feel some sense of foul play was involved. Years later though, Leavy opened up about the matter while addressing the media:
"It was a tough thing for me. I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official, you never want to do that."
ALSO READ - Top 5 QBs with most rushing yards in a Super Bowl feat. Colin Kaepernick
The pressure of being an NFL referee is unparalleled. And the pressure of it all seemed to get the better of Leavy that fateful day:
"It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly... I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better."
The game had plenty of contentious calls. But one penalty called by the referee late in the fourth quarter helped the Steelers get into better field position to score the clinching touchdown a couple of plays later.
Super Bowl XL https://t.co/1QUis8QpFt
Leavy, a former police officer and firefighter, went on to say about the Seahawks game:
"I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough. When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It's something that all officials have to deal with. Unfortunately, when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl it's difficult."
Being an NFL referee is never an easy job. With all the spotlight in the world focused on them, every decision is make or break. And unfortunately for Leavy, his moment was there for millions to see.
NFL rigged a trending point of debate for fans
Of late, many among the NFL community have been debating whether or not the league is rigged.
The conversation seemingly started after former NFL player Arian Foster on an episode of the ‘Macrodosing” podcast claimed that the league was indeed scripted:
"That’s what practice was about—it was about practicing the script … It’s like WWF— we know what’s going to happen, but you’ve still got to put on a show."
Although Foster seemed to be joking about the matter, some fans took the comments a bit too seriously.