Patriots denied touchdown when whistle blew prematurely on backward pass recovery.

In the AFC Championship Game on January 25, 2026, the New England Patriots were denied a defensive touchdown when officials prematurely blew the whistle after linebacker Elijah Ponder recovered a backward pass by Denver’s Jarrett Stidham. Though the play was correctly ruled a backward pass and the ball live, the whistle halted advancement, nullifying the touchdown. Referee Alex Kemp admitted the error, stating the play should have continued for replay review. The Patriots later scored on their next drive, but the incident sparked debate over officiating consistency in high-stakes games.