Week 14 2001 “Bottlegate” #Browns converted a 4th & 2 inside the 10yd line & spiked the ball with 48 seconds left The refs would then illegally review the play after another play had commenced CLE would lose and miss the playoffs. Pandemonium ensued

What many don’t take into account is how NFL officiating never forgave fans or forgot that day Since 1999 the Browns have been at the top of the league in penalties- some their fault, some well you can’t win put two and two together

if you don’t believe me theres hours of evidence suggesting the negative bias NFL officiating has had towards Cleveland since Bottlegate Most infamous being the blatant helmet to helmet in the 2021 playoffs Any other team and its a 15yds & an ejection

I have never been angrier over a sporting event than I was at this moment.

In confident when I say theres never been an officiating moment in the NFL worse than this Never before and since have I seen the refs blatantly disregard the rules of replay and in their weird fraternity Cleveland has had negative officiating bias since

100% agreed…and there’s been plenty of serious screwups to go off of.

👀

I'm pretty sure this was the reason they have to open all beers and won't give you the cap to this day

Yep no more glass bottle and no more unopened containers Also no batteries 😂😂

Rewatching this and listening to the announcers be ecstatic about the possibility of the intentional grounding to then follow up by being blindly oblivious to the fact you cannot review a previous play once another has been ran is absolutely infuriating!

I was there, There are never enough Bottles around when you need them .

I was there. This was absolute purposeful rule breaking decisions by the NFL refs

We lost beer privileges for everyone in the 4th quarter on this day. NFL STILL hasn’t apologized

Ill never understand how in this one instance they let this shit happen.

I will never forget this moment in history.

I don’t condone it, but I understand their rage. Those officials all should have been fired on the spot.

We did nothing wrong….. but we are the reason they banned glass bottles.

I was at this game and yes I did throw my beer bottle

I was there but I was up in the nose bleeds. My bottle didn't make it unfortunately

Was there in the locker room end zone.

I was there. End Zone 3rd row.

It’s a shame one of the refs didn’t get hit harder. Anyone could objectively tell it was a “fuck Cleveland” move. The rules are the rules.

Don't forget about the Duke Johnson fumble.

Couch would also f up the spike my friend that's a fumble

I was there…

I was there. Absolutely wild

@AB84

Then in Cincinnati they threw snowballs, Sam Wyche got on the pa, said we are not Cleveland. Stop it and that was funny as fuck

I was there

This team was far superior than today’s

Bottlegate game vs JX!

Dropsy Morgan

This made me a Browns fan again. I lost my voice and mind seeing this

Gus Johnson on the call. I’ll never forget me and my whole family watching this in the living room.