On Sunday, the Detroit Lions executed what may have been their most inventive trick play of the season. During the opening drive of the second half, quarterback Jared Goff took the snap, handed the ball off to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and almost simultaneously, Goff deliberately stumbled while Gibbs fell to the ground, making it look like a fumble or broken play. The defense, reacting to the apparent mistake, was caught off guard. Goff quickly recovered, realized the defense had been frozen, and found tight end Sam LaPorta wide open for a 21-yard touchdown pass.
After the game, the Lions provided an explanation for how the trick play came together.
Interestingly, the play was developed just that week. It wasn’t a long-planned idea but rather something conceived by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson after seeing a play from a Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears game in 2023. In that game, Packers quarterback Jordan Love mishandled the snap, prompting the Bears’ defense to press forward. Love was able to recover the fumble, regain control, and throw a big pass to a wide-open receiver. Inspired by that, Johnson initially suggested that Goff try fumbling the ball on purpose, but Goff wasn’t sure he could pull it off. They quickly scrapped the idea of a fumble and settled on the notion of simulating a fumble by pretending to fall while holding on to the ball.
They worked on the concept in practice a few times, but according to coach Dan Campbell, it never worked as perfectly as it did in the game. “It was just great to see, and it was better than practice,” Campbell said.
The play, nicknamed “stumblebum” (though some prefer “stumblerooski”), was aimed at fooling the Chicago Bears’ linebackers, who are known for being a key strength of the Bears’ defense. Goff explained that the linebackers are tough to deceive, but this play caught them off guard. The play worked by momentarily distracting linebackers T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, and safety Jonathan Owens, who all focused on the backfield and missed LaPorta sneaking out from behind offensive linemen Penei Sewell and Brock Wright.
Goff credited Gibbs for his excellent execution of the fake fumble. “I think the part where Gibbs dives really sells the play,” Goff said. “It worked like a charm, and it was nice to score there.”
Coach Campbell emphasized the value of such plays beyond just gaining yards or scoring points. He believes they keep the game exciting, challenging, and fun, which helps players feel more engaged and motivated. “Those make you feel good because everybody is invested in it,” Campbell said. “It’s fun. It’s different. It’s sound. It’s like dribbling the ball on the ground. It’s got all those elements, and everyone is involved in it.”
