The NFL's Longest Touchdowns of All Time | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

The Situation

In a battle between two NFC teams going nowhere fast, the New Orleans Saints held a 37-27 lead over the Los Angeles Rams late in the fourth quarter during Week 8 of the 1994 season. Saints punter Tommy Barnhardt attempted to pin the Rams deep inside their own territory, but he put a little too much mustard on a kick that landed in the end zone before bouncing out of bounds.

Or did it?

The ball bounced toward the back of the end zone but took a backspin hop and landed three yards deep in the painted area. Half a dozen players from the Saints' punt-coverage team stood around thinking the play was over when Robert Bailey alertly scooped it up and ran 103 yards before anyone else knew what was going on.

Of all the plays on the list, this one was the flukiest, and one that wouldn't even count in today's game for several reasons. Presently, the play is blown dead once a punted ball touches the end zone, provided the receiving team didn't already touch it. And with both the offense and defense coming onto the field in preparation for the start of the next drive, the referees should have called back the return due to offsetting penalties.

And that's why even though this is technically the most breakable of the regular-season long-touchdown records, it's hard to imagine it will ever fall. Unless it's the last play before halftime or the end of regulation, no returner in his right mind would field a punt four or more yards into the end zone. The only feasible scenario is a ball deflecting off a blocker, bouncing deep into the end zone as a live ball and then being scooped up and returned for 104 or more yards.

Short of that, Bailey's record should hold for many years to come.

The Aftermath

Bailey's return made the final four minutes a little more interesting, but no more points were scored in the contest. New Orleans held on for a 37-34 victory. And it ended up being the only time Bailey returned a punt or kickoff, so he's got the record for "career average on returns" locked down, too.