Controversial roughing the passer call sparks debate after Lamar Jackson injury
The NFL is investigating a controversial penalty from Sunday night’s Ravens vs Patriots game after Tyler Huntley entered the equation.
Sunday Night Football took a dramatic turn late in the first half when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was forced to exit with a back injury, leaving a pivotal matchup against the New England Patriots.
But it wasn’t just Jackson’s injury that dominated conversation. Moments after backup quarterback Tyler Huntley entered the game, a controversial roughing the passer call sparked debate and put the NFL’s officiating standards back under the microscope.
The penalty that stole the spotlight on SNF
Jackson, a two-time MVP, left the game late in the second quarter after taking a hit that appeared to aggravate his back. The Ravens quickly announced that he was questionable to return, creating immediate concern as they are still hoping to make it into the postseason.
With Jackson sidelined, Baltimore turned to Huntley, who had seen limited action this season after returning to the Ravens following a stint with the Miami Dolphins. Thrust into a high-pressure situation on the road, Huntley’s first series under center became controversial almost instantly.
On one of Huntley’s early dropbacks, Patriots linebacker Jack Gibbens delivered a hit after the quarterback released the ball. The contact appeared minimal in real time, but officials flagged Gibbens for roughing the passer, citing helmet-to-helmet contact.
The call drew immediate reaction, as replays showed a bang-bang play that many felt fell into a gray area of the rulebook. While Gibbens did make contact with Huntley’s helmet, the force of the hit and timing left plenty of room for interpretation.
Complicating matters further, Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was also flagged on the same play for an illegal forward pass following an 8-yard reception. The penalties offset, nullifying the 15-yard gain that would have resulted from the roughing call.
According to the NFL rulebook, roughing the passer includes “any physical acts against a player who is in a passing posture … which, in the game official’s judgment, are unwarranted by the circumstances of the play.”
That “judgment” clause is where controversy often comes in. Critics argue that the hit on Huntley was neither late nor excessively forceful, and that helmet contact in itself should not automatically result in a personal foul without clear intent or unnecessary roughness. Supporters of the call counter that the league has made helmet-to-helmet contact a point of emphasis, especially when it involves quarterbacks.
The ambiguity is part of why the play is now under league review.
What happens next in the NFL investigation
The NFL will evaluate the hit as part of its standard postgame review process. Any discipline stemming from the play would be announced in the league’s weekly gameday accountability report, expected Saturday.
If the league determines that Gibbens violated player safety rules, he could face a fine under the NFL’s roughing the passer guidelines: $17,389 for a first offense and $23,186 for a second. Suspensions are unlikely for a single borderline hit, but fines remain very much on the table.
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