Seattle's Byron Murphy says critical facemask penalty was a BS call

Two months ago the Vikings were on the wrong side of a missed facemask penalty in Los Angeles.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Dalton Risner (66) blocks Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

On Sunday in Seattle, Sam Darnold and the Vikings were on the right side of a facemask penalty that helped keep Minnesota alive in a come-from-behind victory over the Seahawks.

With 4:03 left in the game and the Seahawks leading 24-20, Darnold dropped back to pass on a 2nd-and-10 from the Minnesota 46-yard line when he was sacked by Byron Murphy. The eight-yard loss would've had the Vikings facing a 3rd-and-18 from the 38 but the officials saw Murphy's left hand grab Darnold's facemask.

The 15-yard penalty gave the Vikings an automatic first down and the ball at Seattle's 39-yard line, and on the very next play Darnold stepped up under pressure and delivered a touchdown strike to Justin Jefferson.

It was a defining moment for Darnold, and a moment of disbelief for Murphy.

"It was some BS because I never grabbed it. I just scraped his facemask," Murphy said. "I feel like it was a bulls*** call, but it is what it is."

Ticked rookie DT Byron Murphy says of the facemask penalty he got while sacking Sam Darnold on 3rd down the play before Minnesota’s game-winning TD pass to Jefferson: “Bull-shit call.”

Said he didn’t grasp the QB’s face mask, just grazed it with his hand, arm @thenewstribune pic.twitter.com/tSlCHFFUli

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 23, 2024

Murphy may believe that he only grazed Darold's facemask, but the replay revealed a clear grab of the cage protecting the quarterback's face.

🤔 https://t.co/362MVfdoGv pic.twitter.com/B7yQ6OYNW9

— Chris Long (@ChrisLongKSTP) December 23, 2024

It was two months ago when Darnold had his head twisted by a blatant facemask in the end zone during Minnesota's Oct. 24 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The officials missed that call and it ended the Vikings' hopes of mounting a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter.

This time, the officials got it right and the result is a Vikings win and a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC with two weeks to go in the regular season.