Bears flagged for rare illegal forward handoff against Patriots
Caleb Williams handed the ball to guard Joe Thuney on a trick play in Chicago’s 30-24 win over New England. CBS Sports says the penalty had not been called since 2010.
The Chicago Bears were flagged for illegal forward handing in the first half of their game against the New England Patriots in Chicago on October 22, 2026. Quarterback Caleb Williams handed the ball to guard Joe Thuney on a trick play that drew a five-yard penalty, CBS Sports reported. The call stood out because CBS Sports says the penalty had last been called in 2010.
The Bears went on to win 30-24, according to an SB Nation account of the game. The loss ended New England’s three-game winning streak and left the Patriots with a 4-3 record. The penalty was one incident in that game, rather than the explanation for its final score.
Why the handoff to Joe Thuney drew a flag
The NFL rule quoted by CBS Sports says that, except where a rule permits it, handing the ball forward to a teammate is illegal. Behind the line of scrimmage, a forward handoff is allowed only to a player eligible to receive it, such as a running back or receiver. Thuney is a guard, so the forward handoff Williams attempted did not qualify under that exception. CBS Sports said a normal backward handoff to an offensive lineman would have been legal.
The direction of the exchange matters elsewhere on the field, too. CBS Sports explained that a player cannot hand the ball forward after it has crossed the line of scrimmage, even to an otherwise eligible teammate. The same restriction applies after a change of possession, such as an interception. In those situations, a player may still hand or pitch the ball backward to a teammate. Those other restrictions help explain the scope of the rule; the Bears’ call concerned a handoff to a guard.
The previous illegal forward handoff call
CBS Sports, citing NFLpenalties.com, identified the previous call as one made in a Green Bay Packers–Detroit Lions game on October 3, 2010. It reported that Lions cornerback Chris Houston intercepted Aaron Rodgers and was flagged when he tried to hand the ball to a teammate in front of him. That example involved a change of possession, a different part of the rule from the restriction that caught Chicago’s play.
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Sources and context
- Rare NFL penalty: Bears become first team in 16 years to get flagged for illegal forward handoffCBS Sports
- NFL Week 7: Instant analysis from Patriots’ loss to BearsSB Nation (hosted by Yahoo Sports)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.