Fans Rip Refs for Weak Roughing the Passer Call on Justin Herbert

On the final drive of Sunday Night Football's first half in Los Angeles, the Chargers were gifted a roughing the passer penalty by the referees.

As quarterback Justin Herbert dropped back and attempted a pass for rookie Ladd McConkey, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson brought him down by the collar of his jersey. A yellow flag soon followed and Hendrickson was assessed a 15-yard penalty, despite not having committed a foul. A horse-collar tackle when a QB is in the pocket is not an illegal move, and Hendrickson was fuming in the aftermath.

Given the weak nature of the call. Fans across the NFL were none too pleased, and took to X (formerly Twitter) to let out their frustrations.

In the grand scheme of the game so far, it likely doesn’t matter but this was called roughing the passer against Trey Hendrickson.

NBC crew confirms a horse collar is legal contact when the QB is in the pocket.

Wrong call here and Hendrickson was rightfully angry. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/WlPEYqm4lY
— Joey DeBerardino (@JoeyDeBerardino) November 18, 2024

Bengals called for roughing the passer here. #CINvsLAC pic.twitter.com/Dtfz9pcf6c
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) November 18, 2024

Roughing the passer 😂

NFL is soft as shit
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) November 18, 2024

Roughing the passer?!? Give me a break… Burrow gets hit 5 seconds after a whistle and not flag. If you don’t think the NFL hates the Bengals. You’re an idiot.
— 17th Son (@17thSonSchaefer) November 18, 2024

Grabbing a shoulder pad and pulling a quarterback down is now roughing the passer. pic.twitter.com/JWvSiGbiu4
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) November 18, 2024

How is this roughing the passer on Herbert??pic.twitter.com/cMXvJc416d
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 18, 2024

Herbert's first incompletion? Nah. Roughing the passer! The #Bengals can't get out of their own way. pic.twitter.com/kr0umP6uSP
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) November 18, 2024

Grabbing a shoulder pad and pulling a quarterback down is now roughing the passer. pic.twitter.com/JWvSiGbiu4
— Sean Joseph (@sjoseph_sports) November 18, 2024

The penalty allowed the Chargers to finish an 11-play, 78-yard drive with a 19-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker as time expired in the first half, extending their lead over the Bengals to 24-6.