In a strange moment during Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Giants, quarterback Baker Mayfield managed to score a touchdown after picking up a fumble that no one on the Giants noticed.
The play happened late in the second quarter when the Buccaneers were close to scoring. Running back Rachaad White got the ball but lost it in a fumble just a few yards from the goal line. The ball bounced around, and while players scrambled to recover it, Mayfield saw it and quickly grabbed it.
What made the play so odd was that the Giants’ defense didn’t realize the ball was still loose. Some of the defensive players had already started walking away, thinking the play was over. They didn’t see that Mayfield had picked up the ball and run it into the end zone for a touchdown.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll was surprised by the mistake. “We didn’t react quickly enough, and we need to be more aware,” he said after the game.
The fumble recovery turned out to be a big moment in the game, giving the Buccaneers a touchdown and shifting momentum. Mayfield, who’s been playing well this season, was quick to give credit to his teammates but also said it was a lucky moment. “I just saw the ball and went for it,” he said.
The Buccaneers went on to win 27-21, with that fumble recovery touchdown playing a big part in the victory. The Giants, on the other hand, will be looking to improve their awareness after this costly mistake.