Chad Powers just wrapped its first season, and football fans may have noticed that the play that started everything has actually happened a few times in the National Football League. Glen Powell’s football comedy series begins with a life-altering night for our protagonist, one that sets him on the path to becoming Chad Powers.
In episode one, college superstar quarterback Russ Holliday is streaking towards the endzone during a nationally televised Bowl game for his team. He’s about to win it all, but just before he reaches the goal line, Russ tosses the football away before crossing the line. It’s ruled a fumble, and Russ and his team lose.
For a touchdown to count in American football, a player has to carry the ball past the white line into the end zone. It’s a boneheaded mistake, and one solely the result of prematurely celebrating, tossing the ball away as if it were that easy to score. Surprisingly, it happens way more often than you would think in real life.
NFL Players Have Dropped The Ball At The Goal Line In Real Life
Premature celebrations are just a part of sports. There are entire subreddits dedicated to athletes celebrating a win before they’ve actually earned it, only for a last-minute disaster to come and rip it out of their hands. One of the most frustrating examples of this has to be the one depicted in the Chad Powers pilot.
Way too many NFL and college football players, supposedly the best at their sports, have thrown the ball away before crossing the goal line. You’ve heard of a scoring player launching a football into the stands or spiking it after a score, but to have the ball leave your hands before crossing into the endzone is indefensible.
And it happens at least once a year in the NFL. Two days before Chad Powers aired, Adonai Mitchell of the Colts dropped a ball while taunting the other team (via YouTube). A week later, Emari Demercado of the Cardinals did the same thing (via YouTube). Just search “drop the ball before endzone”, you’ll find plenty of examples.
It Wasn’t The Blown Play That Ruined Russ Holliday’s Career (It’s What He Did After)
Dropping the ball before the endzone is so common that you could almost forgive Russ Holliday for doing it. It was still a huge mistake, and Russ did lose the game for his team, but at the same time, he was the one who put them in that position in the first place. His career could have bounced back.
It’s what Russ did after that ended his career, punching a child in a wheelchair who was there for Make-A-Wish, and then embarking on a self-destructive, self-pitying odyssey for the next couple of years, refusing to take stock of his actions. It’s coming to terms with these failures that has everyone excited for Chad Powers season 2.
- Release Date
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September 30, 2025
- Network
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Hulu
- Directors
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Tony Yacenda
- Writers
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Michael Waldron
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Russ Holliday / Chad Powers
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