During Thursday night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams, a controversial non-call on a face mask penalty involving Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold went unaddressed. Late in the fourth quarter, Rams linebacker Byron Young grabbed Darnold’s face mask and threw him to the ground for a sack, which resulted in a safety. This play extended the Rams’ lead to 30-20 with just under two minutes left in the game, which ultimately ended with the same score.
Referee Tra Blake, when questioned about the play after the game, stated that no penalty was called because neither he nor any other official had a clear view of the incident. According to Blake, he was positioned behind Darnold and couldn’t see Young’s hand grab the face mask.
NFL officiating protocol assigns primary responsibility for quarterback-related penalties to the referee, while secondary responsibility falls to the umpire. However, Umpire Carl Paganelli was also obstructed by players on the field and could not see the face mask grab.
The play was not subject to video review, as NFL rules do not allow certain types of penalties, including face mask infractions, to be reviewed. This restriction left the officials unable to re-evaluate the play despite video evidence from broadcast replays showing the apparent face mask. Fans and commentators have raised questions about the incident, but the NFL’s current rules do not provide a method to reverse the decision after the fact.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell refrained from blaming the loss on the missed call. He acknowledged that the face mask seemed evident on replays but emphasized that his team should focus on their own performance rather than officiating. O’Connell expressed to his team that while the missed call was unfortunate, it shouldn’t be used as an excuse, highlighting the importance of resilience and accountability.
Sam Darnold echoed his coach’s sentiments, stating that while the missed face mask call was disappointing, the team needed to avoid situations that would put them at a disadvantage. He emphasized personal and team accountability, suggesting that improved play and fewer mistakes would help avoid similar issues in future games. Both coach and quarterback expressed a focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on officiating errors.
