NFL official explains why apparent fumble by Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes was ruled dead
Perhaps this will exorcise the ghosts of the Chiefs’ “Forward Progress” playoff loss to the Titans in 2018.
In that game, Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson sacked Tennessee’s Marcus Mariota, who fumbled. The officials ruled Mariota’s forward progress had been stopped, denying the Chiefs a fumble recovery.
A similar situation played out during the Chiefs’ 26-10 win over the Patriots on Monday night.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes appeared to fumble, but officials said he was down. That was the explanation from crew chief Tony Corrente.
“I felt he was being controlled quite a bit prior to him actually going to the ground,” Corrente said after the game. “As he was being controlled, other players were coming in at him. And so with those other players bearing down on him, a quarterback is considered in the grasp, and his forward progress is considered stopped when I feel as though the player’s safety is being jeopardized. And that was the case in this instance. So rather than allow him to get hit by a second and third player, we shut it down and considered it forward progress at that point.”
Corrente said that because the play was stopped before the fumble, the Patriots couldn’t challenge the call.
NFL Officiating shared the comments from Corrente on Twitter:
Patriots coach Bill Belichick wasn’t pleased with the official ruling and had this entertaining exchange with reporters after the game (via the Patriots):
Q: On the Tony Corrente in the grasp call, was there a consideration to throw a challenge flag there?
BELICHICK: “They called forward progress and he was down. You can’t challenge that. They called him down, they called forward progress. That’s what I thought he called.”
Q: Was it clear that Tony Corrente called forward progress on the field?
BELICHICK: “Ask Tony what he called. I don’t know.”
Q: But it was clear to you before the Chiefs came out to punt that it was a forward progress call and not that he was down on the sack?
BELICHICK: “I just answered this question.”
Q: I feel like I am asking you a different question.
BELICHICK: “Well, I am giving you the same answer.”
