In the December 2025 Seahawks-Rams game, the inadvertent whistle rule was invoked to reverse a failed two-point conversion into a successful one by allowing the Seattle Seahawks to retain possession after a backward pass was incorrectly blown dead.
The rule, often referenced through
Rule 15 (Instant Replay), Section 2 (Replay Reviews), Article 3 (Awarding Possession), allows for a recovery to be awarded if replay confirms a clear, immediate recovery by a team despite an accidental whistle.
How the Inadvertent Whistle Rule Was Applied:
- The Initial Mistake: During a 2-point attempt, Sam Darnold threw a pass that was deflected backward by a Rams player. An official prematurely blew the whistle, assuming it was an incomplete forward pass, causing players to stop playing.
- The Review: Replay showed the ball was a backward pass, making it a live ball (fumble) even though it touched the ground.
- The Exception: According to rule interpretations, an "inadvertent whistle" does not prevent awarding a recovery if replay confirms "clear possession of a loose ball in immediate continuing action".
- Charbonnet’s Recovery: Because Zach Charbonnet picked up the loose ball in the end zone immediately following the errant whistle, the replay booth overturned the "incomplete pass" ruling and awarded the two-point conversion to the Seahawks.
Experts noted that for this specific rule, whether a whistle is blown is "completely irrelevant" if the recovery is immediate and clear, as Charbonnet’s actions met the criteria for "immediate continuing action".