In the third quarter of Sunday’s game between the Denver Broncos and New York Jets in London, Jets quarterback Justin Fields completed a three-yard pass to wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain then knocked the ball out and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper recovered it for what appeared to be a turnover.
After review, though, officials deemed it an incomplete pass. Had the play stood as a fumble recovered by Denver’s defense, the Broncos would have had the ball at New York’s 33-yard line.
Fans and pundits on Twitter/X clearly disagreed with the ruling, comparing it to Troy Franklin’s fumble that stood earlier in the game.
This is some straight SAUCE right here. The officials overturn the call 🤬#DENvsNYJ#BroncosCountrypic.twitter.com/wsLqyCtaKG
— Nick Ferguson (@NickFerguson_25) October 12, 2025
He’s literally trying to move the ball in his hands away from PS2, how is this not possession
pic.twitter.com/I1tvxLawPF— RG 📷 (@RyanGreeneDNVR) October 12, 2025
Terrible call. https://t.co/k6vRb35OVZ
— Cody Roark (@CodyRoarkNFL) October 12, 2025
Garrett Wilson catches the ball, starts running up field and fumbles…Incomplete Pass! Ridiculous NFL rules on these types of plays, needs to take three steps!??. It was clear he fumbled! #BroncosCountry
— Nate Brown (@natesportsguy) October 12, 2025
Garrett Wilson’s fumble was exactly the same as Troy Franklin’s, but somehow now it’s an incomplete pass.
— Rodrigo Machado (@machado_lamas) October 12, 2025
How was Troy Franklins a fumble but Garrett Wilson’s wasn’t they look exactly the same
— RyFt_Blackout (@RyFt_Blackout) October 12, 2025
Broncos got screwed by the refs, that was a completion and a fumble by Garrett Wilson!
— Alberto Milian (@amilian) October 12, 2025
So troy has a fumble first possession and jets player has the same type of play. One jets called a fumble, the other incomplete. Rigging.. #jets#broncos
— tperodactyl (@tperodactyl) October 12, 2025
Someone needs to help me understand how the Broncos opening drive was a fumble, but the Jets play was an incomplete pass? Something not sitting right… @NFL
— Brandon Honeyman (@bhoneyman) October 12, 2025
For comparison, this play by Franklin stood as a catch and fumble in the first quarter:
that’s the way you draw it up on defense
📺: #DENvsNYJ on NFLN pic.twitter.com/OcxrT3Br65
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 12, 2025
Fortunately for Denver, the Wilson non-fumble call did not end up deciding the game as the Broncos held on to win 13-11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Fans think Garrett Wilson play should have been ruled a fumble
