The NFL’s 15-minute cooling off period after games wasn’t nearly long enough to extinguish T.J. Hockenson’s anger toward NFL replay officials in New York for overturning the call of a touchdown on what the Vikings tight end still swears was a diving 15-yard catch in the closing minutes of Sunday’s 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“I had control the whole time; my hands were underneath it,” Hockenson said. “I don’t quite understand how the refs on the field, even after New York overturns it, the refs on the field are saying it’s a catch, but New York overturns it.”
All scoring plays are reviewed in New York. Hockenson said two officials at U.S. Bank Stadium told him even after New York’s ruling that they had it as a touchdown.
But, alas, it was nothing more than yet another red-zone negative that prevented the Vikings from making it a one-point game with 2:58 left, contributed to a maddening 1-for-6 flopfest inside the Eagles 20-yard line and ultimately caused the hometown squad to fall to 3-3.
Sorry, but Hockenson’s still not buying that it wasn’t a catch. And he didn’t sound like a guy who cared that he could be fined for vehemently criticizing the officials and the NFL’s entire replay system.
“I don’t understand how New York can just call in and just be like, ‘That’s not a catch’ when there is no evidence that it wasn’t,” Hockenson said. “I think it’s ridiculous. … Can’t buy one, honestly. There are other plays you can go back to, but ridiculous.
“I obviously don’t understand the catch rule at this point.”