If you ask the refs, it’s roughing the passer. If you ask Minkah Fitzpatrick, and most watching the game, it’s just a clean hit and a sack. Fitzpatrick was flagged for a hit on Las Vegas Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo in the fourth quarter, keeping the Raiders’ hopes alive as they attempted a comeback. Pittsburgh hung onto win 23-18 but after the game, Fitzpatrick took issue with the refs’ decision.
“No. Not at all,” he said via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko when asked if he felt like he did anything wrong.”
He told reporters he was surprised to be penalized for the hit.
Here’s a look at the play. Fitzpatrick came in on a safety blitz and collided with Garoppolo, knocking him down. It’s clear Fitzpatrick was doing his best not to make more contact than he had to, backing off and not falling on top of him. The rule is there must be “forceable” contact to the quarterback’s helmet, the “grazing” rule no longer applies, and it doesn’t seem to clear that bar here. Fitzpatrick hits Garoppolo primarily in the shoulder with only minimal helmet contact.
Fitzpatrick relayed what the officials told him.
“They said he ducked. And I hit him in his head when he ducked,” he said.
A seemingly impossible position for Fitzpatrick to be in. Last week, he was criticized by some for his low tackle on Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb, a hit that unfortunately ended Chubb’s season. He was not penalized or fined for the play. This week, he gets flagged for aiming too high. And it’s possible he’ll be fined over it.
Garoppolo is reportedly being evaluated for a concussion, though it’s not confirmed if it occurred on that particular play.
Most watching disagreed with the official’s call. Even NBC rules analyst and former NFL referee Terry McAulay said he did not see enough contact to warrant a flag. But one was thrown. In the end, at least the Steelers got the win.
