November 16, 2008: The Steelers beat the Chargers 11-10, the first 11-10 game in NFL history, after Troy Polamalu’s touchdown is wrongly taken away

On November 16, 2008, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the San Diego Chargers 11-10 at a snowy Heinz Field. No NFL game had ever ended with that score. It almost ended differently.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored first for San Diego. Then James Harrison sacked Philip Rivers on third-and-9 from the 3, and left tackle Marcus McNeill fell on the fumble in his own end zone for a safety. Harrison later intercepted Rivers to set up a Jeff Reed field goal.

Down 10-8, Ben Roethlisberger completed all six of his passes on the final drive, four of them to Hines Ward. A Willie Parker touchdown was wiped out by holding, and Reed kicked a 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds left.

On the last play, the Chargers tried two laterals, and Troy Polamalu scooped up the loose ball and scored. The crew first said the touchdown stood, then took it away for an illegal forward pass. “We should have let the play go through in the end, yes,” referee Scott Green said.

Roethlisberger threw for 308 yards and Ward caught 11 passes for 124. Pittsburgh was flagged 13 times to San Diego’s two. The Steelers finished 12-4 and won Super Bowl XLIII. The only 11-10 game since came in September 2022, Denver over San Francisco.