Well, we knew it was ridiculous Sunday when the call was made.
First-and-goal at the 1, the Eagles lined up for their “brotherly shove/tush push.” Quarterback Jalen Hurts was indeed pushed across for the touchdown with 1:44 remaining in the half, extending the Eagles’ lead to 20-12.
Eagles receiver A.J. Brown and Commanders’ cornerback Marshon Lattimore were locked up, still pushing/blocking each other after the whistles blew, and the Philly crowd began roaring in joy over the touchdown scored.
Brown grabbed the facemask, ripped off Lattimore’s helmet, and immediately extended his arms as if to say, “Who me? I’m not doing anything.” The official to the left of Brown and Lattimore is captured on video clearly watching them as he approaches closer and throws his flag.
Brown had grabbed Lattimore’s facemask, ripping off Lattimore’s helmet, and then a call came over the stadium sound system, “After the play was over, personal foul, unnecessary roughness defense, number 23.”
Anyone attempting, to be honest, knew at that moment, at the very least, they should have included Brown, making the call an off-setting penalty, both guilty of unnecessary roughness.
The only other option before the announcement was made seemed to be a personal foul on Brown for ripping off Lattimore’s helmet via grabbing the facemask.
But no, the officials got together and somehow penalized only Lattimore. It was a joke for professionals to conclude this. Even more, only a few plays earlier, on fourth-and-5, Saquon Barkley had clearly held Frankie Luvvu, permitting Hurts to complete a deep pass to Brown.
The question was not if Barkley held. The question was how could the one official who stood back there looking toward Hurts did not flag Barkley’s hold?
The combination of bad calls on the same drive meant the Eagles did not have to punt, though it would have been fourth-and-15. Instead, the Eagles led 20-12, and Jeremy McNichols would fumble the kickoff return on the next play, resulting in a 27-12 Eagles halftime lead.
Saturday, the NFL fined Brown, not Lattimore, for the incident, and it will cost Brown $11 255. But of course, Brown’s Super Bowl check will more than make up for ripping off Lattimore’s helmet.
Warren Sharp said it best, calling the player fine system a “clown show.”
a week ago, the NFL penalized Lattimore but NOT A.J. Brown for this
today, the NFL fined A.J. Brown but NOT Lattimore
NFL officials & their player fine system continue to be a total clown show pic.twitter.com/K1L9X36Luh
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 2, 2025
Yet another bad look for the NFL ahead of Super Bowl LIX. But, of course, it does not matter.