The widely disliked fumble-touchback rule was only controversial part of the play.
The Browns were inches away from six points and cutting into a 16–3 Chiefs lead going into halftime. With a little less than two minutes to go in the half, Baker Mayfield delivered a pass to Rahard Higgins just 5 yards away from the end zone. Higgins dived for the pylon and fumbled the ball.
Touchback.
The Cleveland touchdown and the extra point likely to follow would've made it a 16–10 game. Instead, the Chiefs got the ball back and with good field positioning and marched down the field. Kansas City hit a 28-yard field goal to the first half with a 16-point lead.
The widely disliked fumble-touchback rule was not the only controversial part of the play. Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen led with the crown of his helmet as he hit the diving Higgins. Sorensen should've been penalized for the helmet-to-helmet contact, which would've given the Browns an automatic first down.
Higgins finished the 2020 season with 37 catches for 599 yards and four touchdowns, but he also had three fumbles in his 13 games played.