Of all the NFL’s rules, perhaps its most highly debated – and disliked – one is when the offense fumbles the football through and out of the end zone for a touchback. Despite the defense not recovering the ball, the opposing team is awarded possession. For years, fans have called for the league modify the rule for a lesser punishment that still allows the fumbling/offensive team to keep the ball.
Now, the league might be listening.
During a league meeting Wednesday, the league’s EVP of Football Operations Troy Vincent opened the door to changing the outcome of these plays. According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Vincent said the rule will be “studied” this offseason and floated the idea the offense should retain the football.
The rule almost always occurs when a player is reaching out over the pylon to try and break the plane with the football. If he does, it’s a touchdown. But if he loses control beforehand and the ball rolls inside the pylon and out of bounds, it becomes a turnover and touchback. Here’s a cut-up of some such examples, though this video also includes fumbles recovered by the defense in the end zone for a touchback, a rule that of course would remain unchanged.
The argument for changing the rule is twofold. One, the defense never actually recovered the ball so why would it be awarded possession? Two, if the offense fumbles anywhere in the field of play, it retains the ball at the spot of the fumble. So why would the rule change for the end zone? Many also argue the offense is too severely penalized for simply trying to score.
If the NFL is open to modifying things, odds are it will be. A rule change will likely have to be proposed to the league’s competition committee to be examined and voted on during the offseason. Mike Tomlin is part of that board, and the Steelers coach holds the unpopular position of keeping the rule. Over the years, he’s favored the rule to highlight the importance of ball security. After TE Xavier Grimble’s fumble/turnover against the Denver Broncos in 2018, Tomlin said he understood and supported the rule in its current form.
“I believe there is added responsibility there,” he told Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley. “I believe the defense should be rewarded if you fumble and it goes into the end zone and no one gets a chance to recover the ball. I like the urgency and responsibility of possession of the ball, particularly in that area of the field. I am not against the rule. I am a proponent of it.”
But he may get outvoted here. If the league’s hinting is an indication of which direction this thing is going, 2023 could be the last year of the fumble/touchback rule. It will be interesting to see how the league replaces it. Will offenses get the ball at the 1-yard line? The downside with that is offensive players have substantially less risk in extending the ball by the pylon. Will they be pushed back to the defense’s 20 for their own version of a “touchback?” Or will they come up with a third option?
By March, we should know our answer.
