What Does a Touchback Mean? Here’s How Malachi Corley’s Premature Celebration Cost the Jets 6 Points

NFL fans mostly hear the term “touchback” when a team’s kickoff is fielded in the end zone or goes over the end zone entirely. But on Thursday, it happened as Jets WR Malachi Corley dropped the ball before bringing it into the end zone.

Any time an offensive player fumbles the ball through the opponent’s end zone, a touchback can happen. If the offensive team recovers the fumble, the play results in a touchdown. But if the defense recovers or the ball goes out of bounds, a touchback is called.

On the first play of the second quarter, it appeared that the Jets had taken an early lead in the Thursday Night Football affair against the Houston Texans. But it was Corley’s premature celebration that cost them dearly.

Facing 1st-and-10 from the Texans’ 19-yard line, Aaron Rodgers took the snap, faked a handoff to running back Breece Hall, and shoveled a sweep to wide receiver Corley. The 2024 third-round pick raced around the right side unimpeded for the game’s first points.

Corley broke into celebration as he crossed the goal line, but dropped the ball, which then rolled out of bounds, giving Houston possession via touchback.

The touchdown would have been Corley’s first as an NFL player. Instead, it goes down as a major gaffe in a game the Jets simply can’t afford to lose.

Corley is far from the first player to nonchalantly release a potential touchdown prior to actually scoring. Some recalled former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson doing the same thing on Monday Night Football many moons ago.

Jackson recovered from his fault to become the NFL’s all-time leader in 60-yard touchdowns. He’s also among the best big-play receivers in league history. If Corley learns from this blunder, he very well could develop into a star in his own right.