Throughout NFL history, there have been some very controversial roughing the passer calls, including one that just happened Sunday. On Monday night, another one was added to the list of penalties that probably should not have been penalties. In the AFC West matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, a second-quarter call left fans in the stands booing and people at home, including NFL players, questioning how to properly tackle a quarterback, given the roughing the passer penalties getting called recently.
Let's first take a look at the play that everyone has been discussing.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones broke a tackle and found his way to the Raiders' Derek Carr, sacking the quarterback and taking the ball from him all in one swift movement. Jones secured the ball as he went down, taking Carr to the ground with him.
"[Carr] gets passing protection until he can defend himself," said referee Carl Cheffers, who threw the flag, via ESPN. "Just as if he had thrown the ball, he still gets protection. ... That extends until he's no longer in control of the ball.''
The strip sack looked clean to most everyone watching, but the referees made a controversial roughing the passer call that reversed the fumble and gave the Raiders a first down.
Chiefs fans were visibly and audibly upset at the call, booing until the clock hit zero in the first half.
The Raiders went on to score a field goal on the drive to go up 20-7.
This call comes one day after another controversial roughing-the-passer call in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. Falcons defensive lineman Grady Jarrett brought down Bucs quarterback Tom Brady in what looked like the perfect sack, but was then called for roughing the passer, sending shock waves across the NFL world and upsetting many. The penalty ended up extending the fourth-quarter drive for the Buccaneers, who held on for the 21-15 win.
Immediately following the call on Monday night, NFL Twitter shared their opinions, with current and former players giving their thoughts on what they just saw.
NFL Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy acknowledged that the league needs to protect the quarterback, but as many have said, it is taking it too far.
"Terrible" is a word a lot of people have used to describe the call, including the legendary Lawrence Taylor.
Sean Payton also weighed in:
Richard Sherman noted that you cannot brace the fall with two hands when one is holding the football.
Micah Parsons called the league "terrible" for the call.
Former quarterback and current CBS Sports reporter Danny Kanell noted that the NFL Players Association needs to bring up the issue to make a change.
Here are some more reactions from around the NFL: