Refs Offer Interesting Explanation For Controversial Jaguars Call

What did the NFL's referees have to say about Travon Walker's touchdown in the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Philadelphia Eagles game?

Nov 3, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson meet on the field after game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars scored one of the most controversial touchdowns of the NFL season in Week 9, and NFL officials had an interesting explanation for why the play stood.

During the Jaguars' 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker scooped up a Saquon Barkley touchdown and returned it 35 yards, turning a 22-8 deficit into a 22-16 one.

The issue? Replay clearly showed that Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller made contact with Barkley before the running back stumbled and fell to the ground, in which he then fumbled the ball. In most cases, it appeared Barkley would have been ruled down by contact.

But when speaking postgame with a pool reporter, Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth said that Miller is not the reason Barkley ended up on the ground. In which case, Walker's first career touchdown and a key turning point in the Jaguars' comeback bid stood.

“On that play, the running back was touched by a defensive player, number 51, and then he did have contact with number 69 on the offense. It was deemed a stumble on the field, so because it was a stumble, when he went down, he would not be down by contact and therefore it was a fumble," Butterworth said.

“If no other player hit him and they ruled it not a stumble, and he went down after contact by number 51 of the defense with no other contact and he went immediately down, then he would be down by contact."

That answer is unlikely to settle the Eagles' sideline and others who thought the call on the field should be reversed. But for now, we at least know why one of the biggest plays of the game and one of the oddest touchdowns of the NFL season was alled what it was.

"I’ll get some clarification on [RB] Saquon [Barkley]’s fumble, but I thought we took care of the ball and [QB] Jalen [Hurts] did a great job taking care of the football," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said after the game. "I thought our fundamentals we work so hard on were really on point today, which helped us get the win today. It’s tough to win.”

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