Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason joined furious Giants fans, ripping officials for ruling an apparent fumble dead.
On Monday, Esiason and his WFAN co-host Greg Giannitti both questioned the officiating in the Giants’ 38-20 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. The play that stood out the most was defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux’s perfect execution against the mostly unstoppable tush-push.
This call occurred as the Giants’ defense was trying to stop the tush-push, the Eagles’ modified quarterback sneak play, in the second quarter. As Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts lunged for the first down, he left the ball exposed and Thibodeaux took advantage, snapping the ball out of his hands.
“I know they replayed this whole thing. This is crap. This was 100% a fumble,” Esiason said on his morning show on WFAN, via X/Twitter.
“I mean, how could your forward progress be stopped when you have Dallas Goddard pushing him in the ass forward?” Giannatti said, agreeing with Esiason. “I mean, it’s really not even the play that’s the problem; it’s how the play is officiated, and these guys just can’t figure it out.”
Instead of a fumble, referee Brad Rodgers announced that forward progress had been stopped. The Eagles were awarded the first down, negating the Giants’ turnover hopes. Giants head coach Brian Daboll was infuriated by the call and later sidestepped questions about it post-game.
That wasn’t the only pivotal play erased by penalty flags and whistles. Referees also botched a 68-yard touchdown called back for offensive pass interference in the divisional loss that dropped the Giants’ record to 2-6 at Lincoln Financial Field.
“I mean, that’s the way you stop it right there, you rip the freaking ball out of his hands, and he did it perfectly,” Giannatti continued. “And then they effed him with the call.”
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