The Indianapolis Colts ruled starting receiver Alec Pierce out for their Week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, opening the door for Adonai Mitchell to make an impact. Mitchell certainly stood out, but not in the way he imagined.

After a pedestrian first half, Mitchell beat cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. down the left sideline and dusted the helping safety to stroll into the end zone. The play appeared to be the breakthrough moment he needed until the referees discovered that he released the ball before breaking the plane, resulting in a turnover instead of a touchdown.

Any fan who was impressed at first quickly turned on Mitchell and let him hear it on social media. Reactions included a mix of frustrated Colts fans and general NFL viewers who found humor in the mistake.

“Catch of the year turns into fail of the year,” one fan joked.

“Imagine putting money on Adonai Mitchell to score a TD and he does this s***,” a frustrated fan reacted.

“Colts are going to get their first loss because of this aren't they….,” another person commented.

Had Mitchell held onto the ball, he would have given the Colts the lead. Instead, Indianapolis gave possession back to the Rams, who were already leading 13-10.

Colts fans compare Adonai Mitchell's fumble to Jonathan Taylor

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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Unfortunately for Colts fans, Mitchell's fumble brought back old nightmares. Many remembered a similar play in 2024, when Jonathan Taylor released the ball after a long would-be touchdown run against the Denver Broncos.

Much like Mitchell, fans gave Taylor an earful for his senseless moment.

Taylor's blunder had little impact on the result, as the Broncos ultimately ran away with a 31-13 win. Still, had Taylor scored, the momentum could have kept Indianapolis in the game.

Mitchell's play, however, came at a more critical moment. Neither team added any points in the third quarter, keeping the score locked at 13-10 entering the final period.