Aaron Rogers References South Park Episode to Criticize Jets-Bills Officiating

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was not pleased at all with the officiating of Monday’s game with Buffalo.

East Rutherford, NJ -- October 14, 2024 -- Aaron Rodgers of the Jets leaves the field at the end of the game. The Buffalo Bills came to MetLife Stadium to play the NY Jets. The Jets played their first game under new interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills combined for 22 penalties in Monday’s 23-20 Jets loss. It led one reporter to ask New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers about the officiating.

In most cases, coaches and players tried to avoid any criticism of officiating, even if it is perceived as benign, to avoid being fined.

Rodgers was critical, to the point of actually referencing a South Park episode to get his point across.

“That seemed a little ridiculous,” Rodgers said of the officiating. “Yeah some of them seemed really bad including the roughing the passer on me. That's not roughing the passer. We might as well play Sarcastaball if we're gonna call those things. And I thought the one on (Jets defender Javon) Kinlaw was not roughing the passer either.”

"It seemed a little ridiculous. Some of them seemed really bad, including the roughing the passer on me, that's not roughing the passer. We might as well play Sarcastaball if we're going to call those things."

Aaron Rodgers on the penalties tonight: pic.twitter.com/FeJ7zfeaVE

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 15, 2024

The two teams also combined for 204 penalty yards, the most of any NFL game this season.

Rodgers was referring to a third-down play at the Jets’ 39-yard-line midway through the third quarter. Rodgers was sacked by Buffalo’s A.J. Epenesa, who was called for unnecessary roughness on the play.

The penalty gave the Jets a first down at their own 47 and ultimately helped them position Greg Zuerlein for what was at the time a game-tying field goal.

Kinlaw's penalty came on the Bills’ go-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter. On a 2nd-and-11 at the Jets’ 19-yard-line Kinlaw was called for roughing the passer after Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw an incomplete pass.

It gave the Bills a fresh set of downs and ultimately positioned Tyler Bass for a 22-yard field goal with 3:43 left to put the Bills ahead for good.

The Jets had 11 penalties for 110 yards and the Bills had 11 penalties for 94 yards.

As for Sarcastaball, it is the title of a “South Park” episode from 2012 that skewered football by creating a game that eliminated the contact aspects of the game and replaced them with balloons and hugs, among other things.

The episode also referenced a game Rodgers played in, a 2012 Packers-Seahawks games that was officiated by replacement referees. The game became famous for its controversial calls, including a Hail Mary by Seattle’s Russell Wilson that ended being caught by both a Seahawks wide receiver and a Packers defender.

One official called it a catch while another called it an interception. Eventually, it was agreed that the two had simultaneous control of the ball and a touchdown was awarded to Seattle, which won the game. The game is known by several nicknames, including the “Fail Mary.”  

The irony of him referencing the episode on Monday is that he threw the fourth Hail Mary of his career to end the first half.