In Super Bowl XXV, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants 20–19, with eight seconds remaining. Kicker Scott Norwood was tasked with a 47-yard field goal to secure the Bills their first ever Super Bowl victory. The kick sailed wide right, resulting in a Giants win and marking the closest the Bills would come to a Super Bowl victory during their four consecutive appearances in the early 1990s.

Now imagine if Norwood’s kick had been successful, giving the Bills a 22–20 victory and their first Super Bowl title. This moment would have been celebrated as one of the most dramatic finishes in Super Bowl history. It would have been considered an instant classic.

Norwood would have been hailed as a hero in Buffalo, forever remembered for delivering the city’s first major sports championship. He would never have had to pay for a meal or a beer again in the city of Buffalo, NY.

It would have have solidified Norwood’s position with the Bills, potentially extending his tenure beyond the 1991 season. He would have been the Bills kicker for years to come, and he would have been cheered and loved every time he lined up for a kick.

He would have ended his career and most likely received a job offer from the Bills in some sort of capacity. I could see Norwood as the color commentator for the Bills radio broadcast or working in the front office somewhere.

His epic kick would always be brought up on the broadcast and he would have been able to relive that amazing moment over and over again. He most definitely would have enjoyed a more positive post-football life, free from the shadow of that missed opportunity.

He would have been heralded in pop culture instead of made fun, including mentions in films like “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”. With the current success of the Bills, he would have been front and center of the coverage talking about the time he helped the Bills win the Super Bowl with his kick right down the middle.

A successful kick could have altered the narrative of the Buffalo Bills’ early 1990s legacy. Securing a Super Bowl victory in their first appearance might have changed the team’s momentum and public perception during their subsequent Super Bowl appearances.

In this alternate scenario, Scott Norwood’s life and career would likely have been defined by triumph rather than a missed opportunity, leaving a lasting positive legacy in NFL history.

It is a shame to be remembered for one mistake at the wrong time, and people have been ruthless to the former NFL kicker ever since the miss in 1991. Scott Norwood will be remembered forever, and not for a reason anyone wants to be known for.

While not exactly a bust, he missed the most important kick in Buffalo Bills history. He was never the same again. Not sure any of us would be either.