Imagine the dilemma of Indianapolis Colts fans after their loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4. By all accounts, the team gave away a sure-fire touchdown in the third quarter with 11:44 remaining on the clock. It was one of the craziest plays of the 2025 NFL season, and one that wide receiver Adonai Mitchell will not forget for a very long time, if ever.
It is one of the most controversial rules of the NFL, but it remains in place and enforceable. NFL Rules dictate that if a fumble occurs before the ball-carrier has crossed the plane into the end zone, and if the momentum carries the football through the end zone before being recovered, the play is deemed a touchback, and the football is turned over to the defense.