Why the Jets muffed punt recovery was not a touchdown

The Jets were able to turn in a spectacular special teams play near the goal line for an apparent touchdown, but the offense had to be called upon to get the score.

Falcons receiver Jamal Agnew signaled for a fair catch with Kene Mwangwu of the Jets (#34) standing near him. Agnew was unable to complete the catch, and Quan’tez Stiggers (#37) pounces on the loose ball at the 2 and slides into the end zone.

The Jets did not get the touchdown on that play, but were given possession at the 2.

On any kick that crosses the line — a punt or field goal kick (collectively, “scrimmage kicks”), fair catch kicks, and all kickoffs — the state of the ball is a “kick” until it is possessed or the ball is declared dead. On scrimmage kicks that go beyond the neutral zone, the kicking team can only gain possession if the receiving team touches the ball first. Once Agnew muffs the kick, it is a free ball, and either team may recover.

(Side note: a scrimmage kick that is blocked or whiffed and does not go beyond the neutral zone is still considered a kick, but the kicking team can recover and advance, potentially gain a first down, and even pass or kick a second time.)

When Stiggers jumps on the free ball, it is still a kick, because the ball has not yet been possessed. Stiggers establishes possession in the same way we handle catches: (1) control, (2) two feet or another body part down other than a hand, and then (3) maintain control long enough to perform an act common to the game. When all three elements are met, the spot of the possession change is at the completion of the second element. In this case, Stiggers gets the 2-yard line for the possession change, and his slide into the end zone follows.

So, why isn’t this a touchdown? Because once the kicking team recovers any downfield kick, it is a dead ball. At the point Stiggers establishes possession, he is at the 2, and cannot get credit for the advance into the end zone. Field judge Jason Ledet and back judge Jimmy Russell are both in position to rule this correctly, and replay assist confirmed the spot of recovery.

The only way Stiggers can get a touchdown is if he let the ball roll into the end zone before gaining possession. If Agnew had not signaled for a fair catch, completed the catch, and then fumbled, the Jets would be allowed an advance, because it would be a fumble recovery, not a kick recovery.

The Jets scored the touchdown on the next snap from scrimmage.

The last item to verify on this play is the potential for fair-catch interference. Agnew is entitled to a clear path to catch the ball. Nwangwu is near Agnew, but does not get in front of the catch or make contact. (There is no 1-yard “halo rule” in the NFL.) Because of the fair catch signal, Agnew is allowed to secure the ball without interference after it is muffed until the ball touches the ground or if the muffed ball is out of his reach. Agnew muffs the punt on his own, with the ball immediately touching the ground, so there is no foul here. Had there been interference, the Jets recovery would be nullified, and the catch would be awarded at the 4, with 15 yards added if contact preceded the arrival of the ball, but no penalty yardage for contact that interferes with completing a muffed fair catch.