Even NFL Network Believes Questionable Officiating Is Hurting Integrity Of NFL Games

We understand the rules and get the idea of calling a professional football game per those rules. But have we all not seen enough NFL games decided or seriously affected by a flimsy, ticky-tack call that makes the blood boil?

That makes you wonder if the violent game has lost its soul because the penalty is so weak?

That makes us believe a game of strategy too often comes down to old guys deciding games based on their opinions?

Questionable Call On Key Play

We've all been there. And it happened again Saturday afternoon.

With 2:32 to play and the Los Angeles Chargers trailing the Houston Texans by four points, Odafe Oweh and Daiyan Henley got to C.J. Stroud and sacked the Texans quarterback on third down, setting up the Chargers for one last chance to win the game.

But, no.

Officials ruled Chargers DB Tarheeb Still made illegal contact with Texans receiver Christian Kirk and that gave the Texans an automatic first down. It also effectively ended the game.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud waves to fans following a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 27, 2025. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Controversial Call Talk Of Postgame

And the thing about it is the call is probably correct when judged through the lens of how the rule is written, because Still and Kirk made contact some 10 yards down the field and that is indeed illegal.

But it was so questionable given that Still was merely dropping his hips when Kirk initiated the contact and knocked him back, that it insults our intelligence.

So the NFL has a problem, and it is enormous, because what we saw after this game ended was the postgame show that followed begin by discussing this call right off the top. 

And the analysts on this show took the NFL to task for the perception that many games are decided late by officiating instead of by players and coaches.

And it gets worse.

This postgame show was on the NFL Network, the media arm of the NFL itself.

Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Network Rips NFL Officiating

"When you have really great games like this, you want to make sure that the players end the game," NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones Drew told the audience that stuck around after the game. "And I have to say this because too many times we see this, right? 

"What is the DB supposed to do? He's backpedaling, his cushion is broken, he settles 'cause he knows the receiver's settling. That's not an egregious penalty, right? And so the quarterback's out, he's trying to scramble to get out of the pocket.

"Allow the players to win the game, and this happened against the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles at the end of their game … And so to me, sometimes you have to let the players play. And if it is going to be a penalty, let it be an egregious penalty. A guy getting tackled or pulled by the face mask, not something where two guys are competing and getting after it."

And this is a dagger comment from Jones-Drew: "I'm just saying I'd like to see the Houston Texans earn that more than the first down given to them."

NFL Network commentator Maurice Jones-Drew. Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jones-Drew: Officials Beat Chargers

Think about what Jones-Drew is saying there. He's saying the Texans were awarded this victory by the officiating. 

But the NFL Network's takedown of its league didn't end there. Analyst Michael Robinson then suggested the officiating late in games is so bad, that players are now waiting for the officials to settle matters as much as they expect to do it themselves.

"Absolutely," Robinson said, "And it's coming to a point in the National Football League, where every single key moment in a game, if there's a pass, everybody's looking around to see, 'It should be a penalty, it shouldn't be a penalty.' 

"Like, to me, that's not good for the game. I'm not a player to bash refs or anything like that. They have a tough job. But to that point, man, you do want to see the players on the field win the game. And you don't want the game to come down to one call."

The NFL has an officiating problem. The league must recognize this to some degree because it wants to alter the contract it has with officials to pay them based on merit.

But when the league's own media criticizes the officiating, we've reached a tipping point.

We've reached the moment when one arm of the NFL is punching at the league's integrity.