Roughing the passer continues to spark heated debates about the fairness of NFL officiating.
The recent game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins added fuel to the fire.
In the second quarter, with the game tied at 3-3, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts targeted D’Andre Swift with a pass on a second-and-10 play from the Miami 35-yard line. Cornerback Perry Nickerson intercepted the pass, seemingly setting up a third-and-10 for the Dolphins.
However, a penalty flag was thrown. Dolphins defensive end Christian Wilkins made contact with Hurts just after he released the ball. Hurts fell to the ground, and the officials penalized Wilkins for roughing the passer.
Take another look.
Wilkins took one step after Hurts threw the ball and then slowed down his momentum. He placed both hands on Hurts’ torso as he pulled back. Hurts dramatically fell to the ground.
Despite Wilkins’ actions not constituting a late hit, high hit, or landing with body weight, officials deemed it a penalty. As a result, the Eagles gained a first-and-10 at the Miami 20-yard line instead of facing a third-and-10 at the 35.
Two plays later, Hurts connected with tight end Dallas Goedert for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 10-3 lead.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAuley disagreed with the call.
“Wilkins made contact with Hurts while taking only one step, and he even pulled back with his hands,” McAuley stated. “This does not meet the criteria for roughing the passer.”
This embedded content is not available in your region.
Kurt Warner, a former NFL quarterback and Hall of Famer, also expressed his disagreement. Warner took to social media to propose allowing replay review for roughing plays.
It’s time to make “roughing the passer” reviewable… too many unfair calls happening right now! (And it’s extending drives, leading to touchdowns, and changing the outcome of games) #WhosWithMe 🙋🏻♂️
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) October 23, 2023
However, it is unlikely that Warner’s proposal will be considered. The NFL previously allowed pass interference to be reviewed in 2019 but revoked the decision after one season due to poor results. The league currently has no plans to make another subjective call like roughing the passer reviewable.
Moreover, the league has no solution for addressing controversial calls similar to the one in the Sunday night game.
