NFL Referee Explains Controversial Penalty In Patriots-Commanders Game

FOXBORO, Mass. — Washington Commanders rookie defensive end K.J. Henry took New England Patriots quarterback down for a nine-yard loss for his first NFL career sack, but the play was reversed.

Instead, the 24-year-old Clemson product was called for roughing the passer and the 15-yard penalty gave the Patriots a fresh set of downs.

Fortunately for the Commanders, their defense would hold the Patriots to a field goal, but the controversial call had Washington head coach Ron Rivera pretty much speechless following the game.

Referee Adrian Hill met with Professional Football Writer’s Association’s Pool Reporter Nicki Jhabvala to explain the call.

“I was the calling official and the call was roughing the passer due to full body weight. The ruling on the field was that the defender came down with forceable contact, chest-to-chest,” Hill told Jhabvala according to the pool report. “He didn’t perform one of those acts to remove most of that body weight … a gator roll or a clear to the side when he was coming in. He came down directly with that force on the player, so the category was full body weight.”

Jhabvala asked Hill what Henry could have done to prevent putting his full body weight on the Patriots quarterback.

“There are two common techniques. One we call the ‘gator roll’ where if he takes that player and rolls to the side so they both land on their side, that 90-degree rotation as he comes around,” Hill explained. “Or he comes down and breaks the fall first with hands and knees almost like in a crab-like fashion on top of the quarterback.”

The Commanders defeated the Patriots 20-17, snapping a two-game losing streak against New England, but the controversial call didn’t sit well with Washington quarterback Sam Howell.

“K.J. came up with a sack,” Howell said. ‘”I don’t know what you guys thought about the penalty or something like that but we thought it was … we didn’t think it was a great call.”