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San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman took exception to Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy assessment of a controversial play in the back of the end zone during Sunday’s game.
The Seattle Seahawks were driving with a handful of seconds remaining on the clock. On one of the final plays of the game, it appeared that 49ers linebacker Fred Warner was grabbing at Seahawks tight end Jacob Hollister in the back of the end zone. No flags were thrown and officials didn’t review the play on the field.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS LOSS PUTS FOCUS ON LATE NON-PASS INTERFERENCE CALL IN END ZONE
Dungy called out the NFL officiating crew for not reviewing the play on the field and posted a photo that appeared to show Warner and Hollister going at each other end zone.
“Still shaking my head at non-Pass Interference call in the last minute of the 49ers-Seahawks game. NFL Office put us through a season of inconsistent reversals but this is what the rule was supposed to fix-missed call that impacted playoff spots of 4 teams. Why have review??” Dungy tweeted.
Sherman responded to Dungy’s critique.
49ERS WIN NFC WEST TITLE THANKS TO HEROIC STOP AT 1-YARD LINE AGAINST SEAHAWKS
“So now you want to allow the WR to initiate contact... Push off from the defender and get the P.I. Yea that sounds about right,” he wrote.
The non-pass interference call became the focal point after the game was over. Questions about why referees didn’t stop the game to look at whether there was a penalty were answered by NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron, according to the Seattle Times.
“Well, we actually looked at it here in New York,” Riveron said. “We had a great look. NBC gives us a great look at the entire route. So, we actually did perform a review but based on what we saw we didn’t see enough to stop the game. But we did review it.
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“What we see is, we see the offensive player come in and initiate contact on the defensive player — nothing that rises to the level of a foul which significantly hinders the defender, nothing that is clear and obvious through visual evidence, which hinders the defender. The defender then braces himself. And there is contact then by the defender on the receiver. Again, nothing which rises to the level of a foul based on visual evidence. Nothing happens that rises of the level of a foul while the ball is in the air before it gets there by either player.”
The 49ers won the game and the NFC West division title.
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