Roughing the passer continues to be the most controversial call in the NFL, and it reared its ugly head during the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets game on Monday Night Football.
Right after Bills defensive end AJ Epenesa cleanly sacked Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the referees still threw a roughing the passer call because of an “unnecessary second act.”
Epenesa’s body landed on Rodgers during the takedown, which triggered the flag and caused NFL fans across the globe to wince at what an absolutely terrible call it was.
There is not much a defensive lineman like Epenesa can do to avoid contact like that when they’re charging in for a sack, if only because gravity is going to do its thing no matter what.
The league rules protect the quarterback in this situation if the full body of the defender lands on him, which leaves us with lots of head-scratching and frustration. It really feels like the Bills got jobbed here, even if the call is defensible by the NFL’s overwrought rules.
We just witnessed the WORST roughing the passer call in NFL history…
Even Rodgers was seen mouthing to Epenesa that it was a soft call 🤦♂️
— Kicks (@kicks) October 15, 2024
not sure what AJ Epenesa is meant to do about gravity, but Aaron Rodgers is the reason the body weight roughing the passer rule exists in the first place so here we are pic.twitter.com/6dvWR2Neg3
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 15, 2024
Of course, the reactions to this maddening flag were not pretty.
A.J. Epenesa forgot to levitate off the ground.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) October 15, 2024
Oh come on
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 15, 2024
Literally a tackle
— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) October 15, 2024
Troy Aikman handled that awful roughing the passer penalty as professionally as a color commentator can. A lot of people would be losing their minds in the booth at how bad that call is.
— Allen Strk (@allenstrk) October 15, 2024
One of the worst rules in sports
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) October 15, 2024
as always pic.twitter.com/zLkzZcnKoN
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) October 15, 2024
That’s an awful call.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) October 15, 2024
Oh we’re protecting QBs this week. Depends on the week.
— chris long (@JOEL9ONE) October 15, 2024
What a disgusting call.
Give me a break.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 15, 2024
That's a RIDICULOUS penalty on the Bills…
— Cory Curtis (@CoryCurtis2) October 15, 2024
That might be the worst roughing the passer call that I’ve ever seen in my life… #MNF
— Trevor Knapp (@KnappBets) October 15, 2024
Even Rodgers was grossed out by that call. Looked like he was half-apologizing to Epenesa for it.
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) October 15, 2024
Feature image courtesy of ESPN.
