Yahoo Movies Unnecessary roughness penalty for hit on receiver irks Juan Thornhill and Chiefs fans
The Chiefs were up three touchdowns late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game in Tampa, Florida, when Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady threw an incomplete pass to Mike Evans in the back of the end zone.
Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill arrived a split-second after the ball sailed passed Evans and delivered a big hit to the wide receiver on the third-quarter pass play.
But Thornhill was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play and the Buccaneers got a first down at the Chiefs’ 2-yard line. Three plays later, they scored a touchdown.
Should this have been a penalty?
What more do you want from Juan Thornhill here? #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/XaayvIBlRw
— Devon Clements (@DevclemNFL) October 3, 2022
Thornhill and Chiefs fans believed it was a bad call. “Should I start playing two hand touch or something?? SMH,” Thornhill tweeted about the shoulder-to-shoulder (or shoulder-to-chest) hit.
Here is what Thornhill wrote on Twitter and the reaction to the call from Chiefs fans and others. Quite a few fans were baffled or upset with the official.
At the very least, there should be an explanation from the OFFICIALS on how to legally continue to play football in that position. Because there is ZERO wrong with that hit, but they will probably call it again
— Kenneth Scott (@KUKenneth1) October 3, 2022
How’s that a penalty on Thornhill? He went shoulder to Evans shoulder
— Sterling Holmes (@HomestretchKC) October 3, 2022
Perfect hit. Shoulder to the chest, head to the side, no leading with the crown, no contact to the neck/head.
Horrible call by the ref. The either need to read the rules better, or the ref upstairs should be able to call down for a review on BS flags like this.— Wicked King (@StangXx) October 3, 2022
That was a penalty on Thornhill for playing football
— Joel Penfield (@jtpenfield) October 3, 2022
Do you get to have a conversation with anyone from the league about what to do differently? Does anyone explain what they saw and why they called it after the game? Serious question cause it’s the most frustrating thing about football to watch.
— Michael Brennan (@KC_R8R_H8R) October 3, 2022
Was taught in 7th grade football to separate the receiver from the ball. Now that’s basically against the rules.
— Prophet of Rage (@NowItsShawn) October 3, 2022
Let him catch it, stop in his tracks, and congratulate him afterwards.
— Colby Davis (@ChiefsRoyalsFan) October 3, 2022
It's plays like that that make me feel bad for defensive players throughout the league. How can you know if he caught it before you hit him? It bounced off his hands!
— Dan in Maine (@TupeloDylan) October 3, 2022
No way that is a penalty on Thornhill. Perfect shoulder to shoulder hit. Not his fault Evans is in the air. Brady made his receiver go off the ground. And what is the defender supposed to do their. Let him catch it. Come on. #nfl #GoBucs #ChiefsKingdom
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 3, 2022
Not a KC fan but that is a nice clean hit
— Grasshopper84 (@mattgrishaber) October 3, 2022
I don’t understand what the flag was for on this play last night. https://t.co/TACKd5ECCW
— Anthony Gialde (@Gialde) October 3, 2022
