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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) fumbles the ball out of bounds in the end zone while being tackled by Philadelphia Eagles safety Terrell Edmunds (26) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Worst rule in sports? Fumbles at goal line should come with harsh punishment

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 9/15/23

When Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson fumbled into the end zone late in the second quarter of Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles it did two different things.

It cost his team points and helped dramatically swing the game in Philadelphia's favor, and it also reignited the argument about how that rule is the worst rule in the NFL if not all of sports.

Not only is it far from the worst rule in sports, but it is also an incredibly appropriate penalty for the situation.

The rule is simple enough -- if the offensive team fumbles the ball through the end zone and it bounces out of play, it is a touchback and the team on defense takes over with a touchback at its own 20-yard line. The argument against the rule is that it unfairly punishes the offense and that it should be treated like any other fumble that goes out of bounds at any other spot on the field with the offense retaining possession at the spot of the fumble.

Some people see this as way too punitive.

From The Insiders on NFL+: Boooooo to the fumble out of the endzone rule. pic.twitter.com/GCEoCgJYHK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2023

But the end zone is not like other spots on the field, and those fumbles are not the same as other fumbles.

There are points on the line, and a bigger reward for the offense if it reaches that goal line. A bigger reward for a successful play should also come with a bigger penalty and punishment for an unsuccessful play In this case the unsuccessful play would be a fumble.

When a player approaches the goal line and extends the football, they are not doing so just to try and gain an extra yard. They are trying to get six points on the board. The penalty for the defense not defending that spot is giving up points. If it successfully defends that line and knocks the ball out of the hands of the offense, sends it through the end zone and out of play, rewarding it with possession of the ball is a nice reward as well as a fair punishment for the offense.

The end zone comes with different rules because it is the most important part of the field.

If the offense commits a holding penalty in its own end zone it is not hit with a half-the-distance penalty or a loss of yardage.

It gives two points to the other team and has to give up possession of the football by kicking it away to the other team,

If it commits a holding penalty at any other part of the field it does not cost it points or a loss of possession. But it does in the end zone because, again, the end zone is more important.

By giving the other team possession on a fumble through the end zone you are not assuming the defense was automatically going to recover the ball, just like a safety on an end zone holding call is not assuming a sack. It is simply a punishment for making a mistake in a crucial part of the field.

Beyond that, it is nice that there is still at least one rule in football that gives some sort of an edge to the defense. Let them have it. Every other rule in football right now is geared toward adding offense, aiding the offense, and making life easier for the offense. This is one where the defense actually gets something.

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