Nov 20, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Monday Night Football commentator Robert Griffin III at the broadcast desk prior to a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

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Robert Griffin III calls for NFL officiating changes after missed call sparks debate

Robert Griffin III calls on fans to share ideas on fixing officiating blunders in pivotal plays, seeking fresh solutions to prevent missed calls at game-deciding moments.

The NFL’s officiating remains under fire, as missed calls continue to stir controversy, especially in high-stakes games. The latest uproar erupted after the Los Angeles Rams’ 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football, where a blatant missed face mask call led to a pivotal safety in the game’s closing moments.

Late in the fourth quarter, Rams defensive lineman Byron Young grabbed Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold’s face mask—a clear penalty that should have negated the play.

Dear football fans, this is a safe space.

How do we fix the end of game missed call issues that have been plaguing the NFL?
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) October 25, 2024

But the officials missed it, letting the play stand and resulting in a safety with barely over a minute left on the clock.

Fans and analysts took to social media, questioning how such an obvious oversight could happen at a critical time.

Robert Griffin III calls for change and fans’ opinions

Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III joined the conversation, turning to social media platform X to ask fans for their thoughts on improving officiating during crucial moments.

He launched a poll, inviting followers to weigh in on the best approach for tackling missed calls in the final minutes of games.

Griffin’s poll offered three choices: making all plays reviewable to ensure no infractions slip by; accepting that missed calls are simply part of the game; or allowing reviews on all plays in the last five minutes to avoid unaddressed errors in key moments.

Here's an argument…it's a scoring play, shouldn't that have been reviewed?
— RG| JeffinAZ81 (@CrackerSnack81) October 25, 2024

As votes rolled in, the option to make every call reviewable gained the most support, with 48.5 percent of fans favoring it.

The choice to review plays only in the last five minutes came next with 36.7 percent, while the acceptance of no-calls as an unavoidable part of football was the least popular, earning just 14.4 percent.

Some fans even proposed alternative solutions, like introducing a specific challenge system for missed penalties.

Robert Griffin III

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