NFL Fans React to Controversial Touchdown in Bucs-Falcons Game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Atlanta Falcons by five points on Sunday, but it didn't come without a little bit of controversy.

Oct 27, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped a close game to the Atlanta Falcons 31-26 on Sunday, erasing any hopes they had of a tiebreaker with Atlanta and making their desires to win the NFC South that much more difficult. But there was a certain play in the first quarter that has drawn up some controversy, and NFL fans took to social media to express their displeasure with how it went down.

With 7:19 to go in the second quarter, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts in the middle of the field. Pitts managed to evade multiple Bucs defenders to jog in for a score — except he slowed down toward the end of his 49-yard touchdown scamper and Buccaneers safety Antoine WInfield Jr. caught up to him. The play was ruled a touchdown, but Winfield Jr. appeared to have knocked the ball loose right before it crossed the plane, with Pitts carelessly holding it at his side.

The referees reviewed the play, and the ruling on the field stood. It was revealed soon after that this was because they didn't have a pylon camera angle to look at for the ruling — and in a game that ended up being decided by five points, people didn't take this well.

Here are some of the reactions from the play on social media by fans and neutral observers alike:

🚨🚨🚨THIS IS CRAZY🚨🚨🚨

The refs called this a touchdown, despite Kyle Pitts throwing the ball away before he got into the end zone.

The broadcast somehow did not have have a pylon cam or a goal line camera for just this play.

INSANE… 😳😳😳pic.twitter.com/krwUTHN9UD

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) October 27, 2024

Kyle Pitts bailed out by the fact that the Falcons are playing in the only NFL game with no pylon cam since the goddamn Nixon administration

— Jay (GBI) (@GreatBigIdiot) October 27, 2024

Antoine Winfield got absolutely robbed. pic.twitter.com/5xm3qSUiIm

— Aaron Schill (@aaron_schill) October 27, 2024

Let me fix your post
"Antoine Winfield Jr got the ball and forced the fumble but the refs couldn't find any evidence due to lack of cameras" #GoBucs https://t.co/yHhhieHvit

— Ash (@bash_daniels7) October 27, 2024

Media got better access to game-changing video than the refs do in-game lol. https://t.co/QjguySAeWQ

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 28, 2024

How does the NFL not have a pylon camera angle? That definitely looked like Winfield knocked the ball out Pitts hands.

— Erjaam T. Hayes (@Eric_Jaames) October 27, 2024

Pylon cam apparently only exists when they want to show a 15th angle of a touchdown and not when it can actually help the refs do their jobs. https://t.co/5JK3YZtCa2

— Bailey Adams (@BaileyJAdams22) October 27, 2024

Why does the NFL not have pylon cams at every game? How much could that possibly cost?

— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) October 27, 2024

$13,000,000,000: NFL 2023 national revenue
$2,560,000: 1x cost of 4 pylon cams in 32 stadiums
$12,997,440,000: Left over https://t.co/2qlzIIWSFJ

— KD Drummond (@KDDrummondNFL) October 27, 2024

absolutely a fumble before it crossed the goal line how do we not have cameras on every pylon, you're a billion dollar sports league

— Michael Taylor (@MichaelDanger19) October 27, 2024

Atlanta-Tampa Bay just proved we need universal pylon cams. Every end zone, every stadium, every game.

— Nick Shook (@TheNickShook) October 27, 2024

READ MORE: Buccaneers' NFC South Hopes Look Grim Following Falcons Loss

As you can see, plenty were upset with the ruling. And now, the NFL may want to invest in some more pylon cameras when it comes to future contests.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 season.

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