fumble out of end zone
 

If a player is running for what appears to be a touchdown, but is tackled at the 2 yard line and subsequent to being downed, fumbles the ball out of the end zone, what do we have?

If after the fumble a defense player attempts to recover the fumble but muffs it out of the end zone, what do we have?

In the first scenario, touchback. For the second scenario, where did the muff occur? If in the end zone, still a touchback. If not in the end zone, was the muff a new force? If not a new force (i.e., the ball would have gone in the end zone without the muff), then still a touchback. If a new force, safety.

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I hesitate to respond in a FB post -- but is that the word you want for the question? As stated, the runner is down before the fumble (so, I think, the fumble "never happens.")

Sorry PRIOR is what i meant to say. Too many hits to the head.

This.

Also, remember, when in question, it is a touchback, not a safety. In other words, unless you're ABSOLUTELY sure that a muff by Team B in the field of play caused the ball to go out of the end zone, it's a touchback.