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The New England Patriots' defense has lifted the team to the verge of the Super Bowl, rolling into the AFC championship game following two terrific showcases.
After stifling Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, then C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in the divisional round, the Patriots' defense had momentum heading into Sunday's game against Jarrett Stidham and the Denver Broncos.
For a moment, the Patriots appeared to continue their defensive dominance in the first half of the AFC Championship Game, scoring a defensive touchdown on a Stidham fumble. But then, the official reconvened to rule against their initial call — and New England's touchdown was taken off the board.
Here's a look at the controversial call that turned a Patriots fumble recovery touchdown into a backward-pass.
MORE: Who are the officials in the AFC championship game?
Jarrett Stidham fumble
While Stidham had a touchdown pass in the first quarter of the AFC championship game on Sunday — his starting debut of the season — he made a massive mistake toward the end of the second quarter.
On a 3rd and 4 from his own 33-yard line, Stidham couldn't find a receiver, stumbling backward as New England's pressure came in. Stidham appeared to fake a throw, then was taken to the ground.
The ball came free, and after Elijah Ponder picked it up for the Patriots, the officials blew their whistles to call the play dead despite Ponder taking it into the end zone afterward.
— NFL (@NFL) January 25, 2026Did Jarrett Stidham fumble?
As things appeared, Stidham had fumbled on the play — Christian Elliss poked the ball free while Stidham had it in front of his body. But from a slower angle, it was a more complicated call. Stidham was attempting to make a sort of pass as the ball came out, and the officials got together to look at the play.
Stidham was also initially called for intentional grounding. But after a review, officials determined that he was attempting a backward pass, making the live ball a fumble. The Patriots got the ball at the 12-yard line instead of a defensive touchdown.
The officials reversed their own call on the backward pass, as neither team challenged on the initial call.
Jarrett Stidham fumbles inside his own redzone and the Patriots recovered the ball.
The refs blew it dead?? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/CkMGnrxps7
Backwards pass by Stidham, refs reverse their own call without a challenge pic.twitter.com/WDZCLoruLg
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 25, 2026MORE: How much money do NFL referees make?
Why Patriots were not awarded defensive touchdown
Because the officials had blown the play dead with whistles after the Patriots recovered the fumble, Eliss' following run into the end zone was not counted. The review of the play resulted in it being considered a backwards pass and fumble recovered by the defense, but New England got the ball on the 12-yard line instead of a score.
Had the officials not blown the play dead too far in advance, the Patriots would've scored.
It wound up not affecting the Patriots too much anyway though, as Maye took a designed run into the end zone just moments later.
— NFL (@NFL) January 25, 2026MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFF NEWS:
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