Canadian Football League Quarterback Threw Quirky Incompletion You'll Never See in NFL

Sometimes, the most effective defenders are the ones that are always there and you never plan for.

Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle was thwarted by the most unlikely defender. / Screengrab Twitter @JustinAaronUH91

The Canadian Football League is one of several associations that plays its football games during the NFL offseason, offering pro football fans another fix. Well, the CFL inadvertently provided football fans with a sight they'll never see in the NFL, thanks to the quirky dimensions of Canadian football fields.

During the first quarter of the Edmonton Elks' 28-20 win over the Toronto Argonauts on Friday, Argonauts quarterback Nick Arbuckle, facing a 2nd-and-7 from the Edmonton 7-yard line, dropped back to pass before stepping up as the pocket collapsed under pressure. Looking for wide receiver David Ungerer III in the back of the end zone, Arbuckle fired a pass over the middle.

There was just one problem: the pass didn't hit Arbuckle's desired destination.

Instead, Arbuckle's pass traveled directly into—and deflected off of—the goalpost, letting out a satisfying doink sound.

PASS DOINK pic.twitter.com/bH6brDOGLy

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) August 16, 2025

You're probably wondering, why the heck is the goal post at the front of the end zone? Well, Canadian Football League end zones are 10 yards deeper than their NFL counterparts, meaning there would be far fewer field goal attempts were the goal posts at the back of the end zones.

And while it is relatively rare, Arbuckle had the misfortune of having his pass deflected by an unlikely defender. That's something you certainly won't see in today's NFL.

But, fun fact, the NFL had its goal posts at the front of the end zones until 1974.

---

More on Sports Illustrated

feed