Nick Harris And His Browns Teammates React To Controversial Holding Call

A fourth-quarter holding call on Nick Harris took a Cleveland Browns touchdown off the board in a 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders

Sep 15, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Cleveland Browns full back Nick Harris (53) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images / Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Disappointment set in for Cleveland Browns center Nick Harris in the locker room following a frustrating 20-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The 25-year-old had just come to the realization that a game-changing holding call in the fourth quarter that wiped out an 82-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to Amari Cooper had been called on him.

"I did not know," Harris told reporters after the game. “It was just an unfortunate play, that's all. "Like I said, maybe I got to be a little cleaner with my hands or something next time.”

Engaged with Raiders defensive tackle Chirstian Wilkins on the play, Harris had worked to stay mostly square with the former Dolphins defensive lineman as the play developed. Harris did have a part of Wilkins jersey in his grasp while the two were engaged, which isn't normally a problem to officials until the defender starts moving side to side.

As Watson rolled right and uncorked a perfect pass to Cooper across midfield, Wilkins got across Harris going to his left before planting a massive hit on Watson right as he released the ball. The officials deemed that Harris didn't quite let go of Wilkins' jersey enough that it hindered his ability to get to Cleveland's QB.

“It was called, so there’s nothing I can do about it,” said Harris. “I think maybe I could let him go sooner, I guess, or be more clean."

As expected, the back-breaking call received plenty of scrutiny on the broadcast and from fans on social media. That doesn't change the fact that it flipped the game entirely. Harris reconciled afterward, simply, that he needs to be better.

"That’s what we get paid to do," he explained. "That’s just an unfortunate instance. I mean, I thought I let him go. I really did. I didn’t try to tug him or nothing, but it got called and just got to be cleaner.”

Like Harris, Watson admitted to being equally caught off guard by the call as well.

“I didn’t see the flag, so I don’t know what the ref saw,” he said. "I can't do anything else about that."

A collection of errors leave #Browns "Brownsing" their Week 4 matchup with the Las Vegad Raiders https://t.co/Oh4qfGJG6g

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Head coach Kevin Stefanski had similar comments, admitting that he didn't see the call. Meanwhile, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is no stranger to holding calls – considering he sees many of them go uncalled against him. He hopes the controversial one called against Harris works in his favor.

“As a man said before me, ‘I like my money,’ ” Garrett said, looking to avoid any fines from the league. “I’ve seen worse, I’ve experienced worse. So maybe they’ll look at it and treat it differently next time around. But just how the game goes sometimes. We can’t put ourselves in a situation where we’re living or dying by those plays, and that was a hell of a play to take back.”

The disputable call was hardly the only reason Cleveland lost to the Raiders on Sunday. It was the only circumstance that took points directly off the board though, leaving a bad a taste in the Browns mouths as they turn the page toward Week 5.