Sean McVay’s postgame criticism sheds light on controversial rule that could cost the Rams a Super Bowl berth

A controversial two-point attempt could be the difference between a Super Bowl or bust for the Los Angeles Rams despite strong season

AJ Schulte — College Football Trending News Writer
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Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

In one of the most exciting game of the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Rams blew a 30-14 lead to fall to the Seattle Seahawks 38-37 in overtime. The defense collapsed in the second half, and yet another special teams gaffe ended up costing the Rams, as it has in every single one of their losses this season.

One of the highlights (or perhaps lowlights) of the game was a controversial two-point attempt by the Seahawks. Quarterback Sam Darnold dropped back to pass and quickly fired the ball to running back Zach Charbonnet. Rams defender Jared Verse jumped the route and ended up breaking up the pass, and the ball hit the turf in the end zone and was ruled incomplete. As the teams were jogging off the field getting ready to send out the kickoff teams, Charbonnet jogged over to pick up the ball to hand it to the referees. This was where the controversy began.

After video review, the referees ruled that Darnold’s pass was actually a backwards pass, and that Charbonnet recovered what was technically considered a fumble when he picked the ball up to hand it to the refs. Thus, the Seahawks two-point attempt was successful after initially being ruled incomplete and tied the game, allowing it to go to overtime.

Sean McVay frustrated at controversial call

After the game, Sean McVay expressed his frustrations about the call that essentially lost the Rams this crucial matchup.

“What I was referring to, is that I’ve never quite seen anything like what happened on the two-point conversion where you’re lined up to kickoff and then they say it’s a fumble because they had the clear and obvious recovery, now you tack it on, make it a 30-30 game. Very interesting. Didn’t get a clear explanation of everything that went on just because of some of the timing of it. They were trying to be able to do that but that’s the thing that I’ve said I’ve never seen anything or never been a part of anything like that. I’ve grown up around this game. I’m not making excuses. We don’t do that. I don’t believe in that. It doesn’t move us forward but we do want clarity and an understanding of the things that we can do to minimize that when we rejected the two-point conversion.”

McVay’s sharp memory is obviously well-documented, so I believe him when he says he doesn’t remember anything like that happening before.

It’s a frustrating thing to try and unpack. According to Rule 8, Sec. 7 (3) (1) (3), “If a fumble by either team occurs after the two-minute warning or during a Try (two-point attempt), if the recovery is by a teammate of the player who fumbled, the ball is dead.” However, that rule only applies to fumbles, and the rulebook considers a backwards pass to be a different entity than a fumble, likely partly attributed to Stabler and the Holy Roller rules.

Rule 15, Sec. 3, (11) (1) states “When an on-field ruling is incomplete, and the pass was clearly backward, the ruling of incomplete will stand if there is no clear recovery in the immediate continuing action”.

In this situation, the recovery by Charbonnet was considered an immediate continuing action and the review was able to grant him the recovery to make it a successful try.

The rulebook makes a clear distinction between backwards passes and fumbles, and they are treated differently in the rulebook. If they weren’t, lateral passes would not be allowed to advance. The ball was considered a loose ball that resulted from a backwards pass, not a fumble, and as such, was allowed to be recovered and “advanced” resulting in a successful try.

Yeah, it’s complicated. Unfortunately for the Rams, however, the rules are the rules.

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