Two early whistles erased big plays in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season, leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants frustrated after officials nullified crucial gains against the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Touchdown by Antoine Winfield Jr. Overturned Due to Early Whistle
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the New Orleans Saints 23–3 in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season. Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. recovered a fumble and appeared to score a defensive touchdown.
An official nullified Winfield’s touchdown with an early whistle. The nullified play highlighted an ongoing narrative about questionable NFL officiating.
Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed lost the ball to Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield recovered the fumble and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown.
🚨 SCOOP N SCORE! 🚨
Antoine Winfield Jr. takes it back for 6!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/5o3KcVG9Ls
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 26, 2025
An official blew an early, or “erroneous,” whistle because he mistakenly believed Shaheed was down by contact before the ball came loose.
Under NFL rules, any action after an official’s whistle, no matter how wrong the initial call, does not count. As a result, the touchdown was nullified. The Buccaneers were still awarded possession of the ball at the spot of the fumble.
Following the game, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles stated that he was “still (ticked) off” and would be discussing the “erroneous whistle” with the league.
The incident added to broader frustrations regarding NFL officiating. Several new rules in the 2025 NFL season affected kickoffs and replay. The rules contributed to a perceived rise in penalties and slowed the game’s pace.
New York Giants Struggle with Early Whistles and Penalties
The New York Giants had it worse in their 38–20 loss to Philadelphia. In the second quarter, linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux knocked the ball loose from quarterback Jalen Hurts on a fourth-and-1 “tush push” play.
Officials ruled that Hurts’ forward progress had stopped before the fumble, blowing the whistle early and stopping New York from recovering what could have been a huge turnover.
The New York Giants challenged the call, but forward progress rulings cannot be reviewed. The Eagles kept the ball and their drive alive.
This was called offensive pass interference. Nullified a TD.
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) October 26, 2025
New York’s troubles continued in the fourth quarter when officials flagged rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Darius Slayton for offensive pass interference.
Replays showed both Slayton and Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell grabbing each other throughout the play, with Mitchell appearing to grab Slayton’s jersey and arm before the flag came out.
The penalty pushed the Giants back to fourth-and-11, forcing them to punt instead of scoring.
Giants coach Brian Daboll refused to comment on the officiating after the game, likely avoiding a fine from the league. Players on both teams voiced their frustration with the calls, with several saying they were questionable and changed the game.
While the Giants coach may refrain from commenting for specific reasons, analysts are free to speak. Radio Hall of Famer Craig Carton made a blunt remark on the situation: “The whistle has not blown… the ball comes loose…if you don’t have referees who can officiate the easiest play in the world… go find officials who can!”
GIANTS GOT SCREWED?
“The whistle has not blown… the ball comes loose…if you don’t have referees who can officiate the easiest play in the world… go find officials who can!” – @craigcartonlive #NFL #Giants #Eagles pic.twitter.com/pfTD4LXrBx
— The Craig Carton Show (@CraigCartonShow) October 27, 2025
The plays show officials’ tough job in making quick decisions that can decide games. While the NFL keeps working on its officiating rules, these moments remind everyone that mistakes will happen.
