The Super Bowl 56 referees were non-existent until there was just under two minutes left in the game. Then officials began throwing flags left and right, helping the Rams go on to score the eventual game-winning touchdown.
It was pretty strange how uninvolved the refs were until those final few minutes. Why did they wait so long to start officiating the game?
Former NFL head coach Tony Dungy ripped the game’s officiating crew via Twitter on Sunday night.
“The officials were determined to ignore every violation when the ball was in play and only call false starts, delay of game and taunting. They maintained that posture for 58 minutes and 39 seconds. Then they started officiating. That was bad,” Dungy tweeted.
The officials were determined to ignore every violation when the ball was in play and only call false starts, delay of game and taunting. They maintained that posture for 58 minutes and 39 seconds. Then they started officiating. That was bad. https://t.co/AmmPbmlxqu
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) February 14, 2022
Fans want refs to stay out of games. They got their wish for the first three quarters and 12 to 13 minutes of the fourth. Laundry was all over the field when the Rams had an opportunity to win the game.
That inconsistency is what Tony Dungy is so upset about.
“No. That was an obvious penalty,” Dungy responded when pressed about the pass interference call against Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. “But there were several in the first 3 1/2 quarters. Officials would not call obvious penalties. The 3 calls against the Bengals defense at the end were all fouls. But how could you call them after letting everything before that go? Crazy.”
No. That was an obvious penalty. But there were several in the first 3 1/2 quarters. Officials would not call obvious penalties. The 3 calls against the Bengals defense at the end were all fouls. But how could you call them after letting everything before that go? Crazy.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) February 14, 2022
Does Tony Dungy have an argument here? It’s certainly something to consider.
The post Look: Former NFL Coach Tony Dungy Rips Super Bowl Referees appeared first on The Spun.