One of the coolest plays of the Lions’ memorable 2024 season wasn’t just well-executed—it was born from observed tendencies and clever design by then–offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
In Week 16 at Soldier Field, lined up near midfield, Jared Goff took the center snap and dramatically stumbled forward, selling what looked like a fumbling miscue. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs also dove theatrically to the turf. As offensive linemen screamed “Fumble!”, the Chicago Bears’ defense instinctively froze—until Goff smoothly reset and connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam LaPorta, extending Detroit’s lead to 34–14 .
But this wasn’t invention by accident—it was inspired by a similar misdirection play by the Packers in 2023, when Jordan Love fumbled a snap yet completed a long pass to Luke Musgrave .
Johnson pitched the idea early in the week, asking Goff if he could actually fumble and recover. Goff toyed with the concept, but ultimately insisted it remain a fake stumble, maintaining possession while selling the mishap . He and Gibbs practiced the dramatics in training, but as Goff confessed, “It never sold as well in practice as it did in the game” .
Johnson explained the rationale: the Bears’ linebackers were notorious for overreacting to fumbles—a perfect weakness to exploit . The deception worked brilliantly. Goff praised Gibbs’ eager sell: “That dive really sold the play” .
Head coach Dan Campbell later defended using the play in such a crucial game, emphasizing that when the situation fits, you pull the trigger—no play is too flashy if it can win the week .
That one stroke of creative genius now goes down in Detroit lore as the “Stumblebum”—a modern-day descendant of the old-school fumblerooski. And in doing so, it reasserted the creativity and daring that have become hallmarks of Ben Johnson’s play-calling .
How Ben Johnson’s “Stumblebum” Trick Play Was Cooked Up—and Really Sold
