October 25, 1964. The Minnesota Vikings are playing the San Francisco 49ers. Defensive end Jim Marshall, a rugged ironman known for never missing games, recovers a fumble near midfield. He turns, sees daylight, and sprints the length of the field for what he believes is a touchdown.
Only problem? He’s running toward the wrong end zone.
Marshall crosses the goal line, tosses the ball into the stands in celebration… and gives San Francisco a safety. His teammates try to tell him; the crowd laughs in disbelief. “I thought I had scored,” Marshall later recalled. “I didn’t realize until I saw the referee signal two points for them.”
Despite the blunder, Marshall kept his composure, forcing a fumble later in the game that helped Minnesota win. His wrong-way run is still shown on highlight reels nearly 60 years later — proof that even great players can have legendary lapses.
