NFL fans ridiculed a league referee’s explanation of a controversial roughing the passer penalty in Week 9. Sunday featured a few high-profile, controversial roughing-the-passer decisions.
Related: NFL Week 9 Recap
Tua Tagovailoa wanted a roughing the passer penalty thrown on a play where a Kansas City Chiefs player rolled onto him, but he didn’t get the call. Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Tim Settle was called for hitting Cincinnati Bengals quarter Joe Burrow right after he released the football.
The worst call of the day was a penalty thrown on Washington Commanders’ defender, K.J. Henry. Henry was flagged for a roughing the passer penalty for completing a sack of New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones.
Per Nicki Jhabvala with The Washington Post, referee Adrian Hill gave an explanation for the call on Henry. Hill said it had to do with forceable contact:
“I was the calling official and the call was roughing the passer due to full body weight. The ruling on the field was that the defender came down with forceable contact, chest-to-chest.
He didn’t perform one of those acts to remove most of that body weight – a gator roll or a clear to the side when he was coming in. He came down directly with that force on the player, so the category
was full body weight.”
Hill also explained how a defender could avoid the penalty. However, the techniques Hill offers put the defenders at a greater risk of injury:
“There are two common techniques. One we call the ‘gator roll’ where if he takes that player and rolls to the side so they both land on their side, that 90-degree rotation as he comes around. Or he comes down and breaks the fall first with hands and knees almost like in a crab-like fashion on top of the quarterback.”
The explanation from officials on the controversial roughing call against Commanders DE KJ Henry: pic.twitter.com/seE3shsfdp
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) November 5, 2023
NFL fans react to ridiculous roughing the pass rule on K.J. Henry
Fans took to X to destroy the logic in Hill’s decision. Here are the best takes of fans mocking Henry’s penalty.
The proper response is … pic.twitter.com/tHANC68otA
— Travis Raml, CPA (@RAMLCPA) November 5, 2023
— Khalil Herbert (@LxckXNG) November 6, 2023
They ruining football man, can’t even wrap up and take the QB down anymore
— Ballout (@ab_ballout) November 5, 2023
— ctinaxx (@cwtinax) November 6, 2023
— ctinaxx (@cwtinax) November 6, 2023
Not sure what was worse – the call or the explanation.
— Andrew Laine (@AndrewJLaine) November 6, 2023
— Shannon Tuten (@UDarnTuten) November 5, 2023
Pats fan here: absolute horrendous call – pathetic
— Hugh Janus (@hughjanus978) November 5, 2023
NFL Week 9 recap:
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