The NFL is facing a storm of outrage over its officiating, and it’s time for the league to take accountability.
Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer, has boldly called out the NFL for its failure to enforce its own rules. After an obvious fumble by Eagles QB Jalen Hurts during a recent Tush Push play was deemed unreviewable due to the flawed interpretation of “forward progress,” Dungy didn’t hold back.
According to league regulations, the play was dismissed from review. But Dungy articulated a clear message: the current system is untenable.
“The NFL must eliminate these non-reviewable categories! You can’t have New York interfering with plays on one end while blatant mistakes go unchecked on the other. This kind of inconsistency undermines the integrity of the game,” he asserted.
And he’s absolutely correct. When officials selectively enforce the rules, they erode the trust fans have in the game. Dungy pointed out additional critical errors in the Packers-Steelers game, further highlighting the pervasive officiating problems.
The Tush Push has become a significant headache for NFL officials—except, of course, for the Eagles. Time and again, offensive linemen have been caught jumping the gun on these plays, yet the promised crackdown on such infractions has proven illusory.
This past Sunday’s missed fumble call was particularly outrageous; it was a clear violation, visible to all, yet the league chose to remain silent. The NFL’s attempt to ban the Tush Push in the offseason fell short by a narrow margin—a decision that continues to haunt the league.
