Nothing is more frustrating to NFL fans than when a player is just inches from scoring a touchdown, only to lose his grip on the ball and watch it go out of bounds. Former NFL coaches and analysts share the same level of rancor fans have to watching that fumble give the other team possession at the 20-yard line.
Former San Francisco 49ers coach Steve Mariucci, who has spent most of the last few decades as an analyst on the NFL Network, has some very strong opinions on that rule, even going so far as to raise his voice and get very animated when asked about the possibility of eliminating this from the game entirely.
In an exclusive interview with Special Olympics athletes Malcolm Harris-Gowdie and Wyatt Spalding during the 2025 NFL Honors, Mariucci told FanSided that if he could wave a magic wand, there is one rule he would get rid of as soon as possible.
Mariucci said that he would eliminate the rule that gives the other team possession when a fumble goes out through the end zone.
The rule may not change anytime soon, but we can dream, can't we?
Former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci wants end-zone fumble rule changed
Mariucci may not get his wish, unfortunately. Not only have the NFL owners been unwilling to consider changing this rule, but no one has even mentioned possibly overturning this rule to the league's competition committee in years.
Considering how many rules get switched every year, the fact that this one stays can be seen as a bit odd.
The biggest reason this rule has not been changed and Mariucci remains extremely ticked off by is the fact that those around the league have struggled to "crystalize what an alternative would be." Sadly, it seems like this rule is destined to plague the NFL until something drastic happens.
In a league where fumbling the ball at the 1-yard line out of bounds would lead to the offending team keeping possession of the ball, there has to be a middle ground where fumbling out of the end zone is not a move that is so punitive it could single-handedly end up changing the entire power balance of the game.