Super Bowl LVI Referee Says No Flag Needed on Controversial Tee Higgins Play

The wide receiver broke free on a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half, with some questionable contact on Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

One of the most controversial plays of Super Bowl LVI came on the first snap in the second half, when Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins scored a 75-yard touchdown after appearing to grab the face mask of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and fling him to the ground. After the game, referee Ronald Torbert offered an explanation of the play—and deemed that the officials on the field got it right.

"Our rule is that if there is a grab and twist and turn, there’s enough for a foul," Torbert said to Pro Football Writers Association pool reporter Joe Reedy. "If there’s just a rake across the face mask, where there’s not a twist and turn even if there’s a grab, there is no foul. The officials did not see any contact that rose to the level of a foul for a 15-yard face mask."

Burrow to Higgins for 75 yards and the @Bengals have the lead! #RuleItAll

📺: #SBLVI on NBC
📱: https://t.co/K02y40b5Nu pic.twitter.com/lTfM3W8nyA

— NFL (@NFL) February 14, 2022

Tee Higgins definitely got away with one. Grabbed Ramsey's facemask. pic.twitter.com/yg4yFxd9VY

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 14, 2022

Replays appear to clearly show Higgins grab Ramsey’s face mask with his left hand and yank it toward the ground, pulling Ramsey off balance and out of position to make a play on the ball. The play not only gave Cincinnati the lead but caused a huge swing in momentum, with the Rams throwing an interception on the next play from scrimmage.

Ultimately, Los Angeles was able to eke out a victory in the game’s final moments, leaving this play to end up as water under the bridge for the end result.