Arden Key Flagged For Worst Roughing the Passer Call of the Season
OK, this is getting ridiculous. On Sunday, we've had several bad roughing the passer calls, but this one takes the cake. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arden Key sacked Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and for some reason was called for roughing the passer. It was the worst call we've seen this season.
Here's the play, you be the judge:
Second sack of the afternoon for Arden Key! #FTTB pic.twitter.com/nRYhDtchNs
— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) December 19, 2021
And another angle:
.@NFLOfficiating called this sack from Arden Key a penalty that lead to a Falcons touchdown.
— ??????????? (@TheSFNiners_) December 19, 2021
Do you think this was deserving of a penalty? pic.twitter.com/K02t10ExY0
And another:
This is so unbelievably bad. There is nothing else Arden Key can do. This rule is beyond broken pic.twitter.com/ujReH2U6Tk
— Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) December 19, 2021
Key didn't do anything but sack Ryan. Just straight sacked him, yet got flagged for it. What is he supposed to do there?
I guess the officials are trying to say he landed with all his body weight on Ryan, but was there any way to avoid that there? I don't see how other than just not sack the quarterback.
It's a ridiculous call and the NFL badly needs to re-examine this rule. It's absurd.