fumbles

A fumble is the loss of possession of a ball while a player is in control, caused by mishandling or being stripped. The ball becomes loose and is in play, available for recovery by either team. A fumble ends when the ball is declared dead or recovered and possession is established.

In American football, a fumble is a live-ball event. The defense may recover the ball and gain possession, potentially advancing it for scoring. If the offense recovers, they retain possession. The play continues until the ball is ruled dead, after which possession is set according to who recovered and where the ball is located. Fumbles are a common source of turnovers and can have a major impact on field position and momentum.

In rugby union and rugby league, the analogous situation is typically described as a dropped ball or handling error. A ball that is dropped by a ball carrier creates a turnover opportunity for the opposing team, subject to the rules of the specific code. The ball may be recovered by either side, and penalties or set-pieces may follow if a knock-on or forward pass is involved.

Causes of fumbles include tacklers stripping the ball, contact that disrupts grip, or carriers attempting to change direction or stiff-arm defenders. Strategies to reduce fumbles focus on securing the ball with two hands, keeping the ball high and tight, maintaining vision on defenders, and practicing secure handoffs and ball protection drills.

Statistically, fumbles are recorded as fumbles (FUM) and fumbles lost (FUM-L or FL) in American football. In other sports, handling errors and turnovers are tracked in event logs and team statistics to evaluate ball security and decision-making.