The Minnesota Vikings picked up a last-second 21-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, but it wasn’t without a little controversy along the way. While a game-winning touchdown from Jordan Addison ultimately made it a moot point, there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding a missed field goal attempt from Vikings’ kicker Will Reichard in the fourth quarter.
With the Browns holding a 17-14 lead, Reichard attempted a 51-yard field goal, but the ball sliced hard to the right and ended up missing by a good margin. However, upon a closer look, it appeared as if the ball hit a camera wire on the way to the uprights, leading to the NFL addressing the play in the wake of Minnesota’s win.
NFL Addresses Will Reichard’s Controversial Missed Field Goal
At the time, Reichard’s missed field goal appeared pretty consequential. The Vikings were attempting to tie the game, but instead, they ended up giving the ball back to the Browns with good field position and a three-point lead. Ultimately, the team made sure that this miss did not come back to haunt them, but this is still an issue that could pop up in future games for the NFL.
Given the flight path of the ball, it seems like there’s a pretty good chance this kick hit something along the way, which caused it to curve to the right so sharply. The NFL did not intervene in the moment, much to the confusion of fans, and with complaints over this play continuing to grow, it forced the league to address the situation.
At the very least, if the ball did hit a cable after Reichard kicked it, the Vikings would have been allowed the opportunity to redo the play and have another shot at hitting the kick. However, according to a report, the NFL claimed it did not have a clear enough view of whether or not the football hit a cable, which is why no action was taken in the wake of this miss.
“The league’s position, I’m told, is that they didn’t have a clear view of the ball hitting the cable,” Mike Florio said on “Football Night in America.”
Vikings Escape Browns Matchup with Third Win of 2025 Season
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 21: Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings talks to an official during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
At the end of the day, the Vikings won’t worry too much about this play because they still managed to come out on top against the Browns. However, had they lost, the league certainly would have found itself in some hot water, as this miss could have ended up playing a major role in determining the outcome of the game.
After spending two weeks in Europe, Minnesota will return home and enjoy some downtime, as they have their bye week in Week 6 after playing in Dublin, Ireland, and London, England, in consecutive games. When the Vikings return to action, they will draw a tough matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7.
