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NFL World Crowns Nullified Touchdown As Most 'Thursday Night Football' Play Ever

It wasn't pretty, but it sure was memorable.

Tom Dierberger

Rattler had a fumble called back in the second quarter due to an offsides penalty.
Rattler had a fumble called back in the second quarter due to an offsides penalty. / Amazon Prime Video
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Denver linebacker Cody Barton nearly had two defensive touchdowns Thursday night in the Broncos' 33–10 win over the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

While Barton did find the end zone in the final minutes of the game, his fumble recovery touchdown in the second quarter that didn't end up counting might be more memorable due to the chaotic nature of the play.

Early in the second quarter with Denver leading 6–0, Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler had trouble handling a high snap. He tried to pull it down to fake a handoff to Alvin Kamara but lost it, caught it again on the bounce, avoided a sack, crashed into offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and fumbled the football once more into the arms of Barton, who raced into the end zone.

The play was called back for an offsides penalty, but it's a hard one to forget.

Thursday Night Football, the league's weekly prime-time clash now broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, has gained a reputation over the years among NFL fans for its not-so-aesthetically pleasing brand of football. Some in the NFL world are crowning Rattler's unofficial fumble as a perfect representation of playing football on a short week.

It was a rough night for Rattler, as the rookie threw for 172 yards on 25-of-35 passing while leading the offense to just three points. He was replaced by Jake Haener with two minutes to play.

The Broncos (4–3) return to the field next week to host the Carolina Panthers, while the reeling Saints (2–5), coming off five straight losses, visit the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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