The New Orleans Saints had a defensive touchdown against the Detroit Lions negated early in the second quarter on Sunday after officials ruled that quarterback Jared Goff's apparent fumble was an incomplete pass. The ruling, based on the quarterback's intent to throw, wiped a score off the board that would have tied the game at 7-7.
Saints defensive end Chase Young forced the ball loose from Goff, and safety Jonas Sanker scooped up the fumble and returned it to the end zone. However, following a review, the officials determined that Goff had begun his throwing motion. According to NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira, the intent to throw the ball forward, even if the ball travels backward or is fumbled, results in an incomplete pass.
"Throwing motion starts, hand going up, then he's hit, ball comes loose, his intent was to throw it forward," Pereira explained during the broadcast. "Since that motion had already started, that's going to be an incomplete pass, no matter where it lands."
The controversial call meant the Saints could not capitalize on the turnover for points. The Lions proceeded to punt following the drive, ultimately taking a 7-0 lead into halftime. The sequence has been described as one of the most unusual plays of the early 2026 NFL season.