In the aftermath of the Los Angeles Rams’ 30–20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium, controversy erupted over a missed face-mask penalty on a game-sealing play. Rams linebacker Byron Young sacked Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in the end zone with 1:42 left on the clock, resulting in a safety that solidified the Rams’ lead.
However, replays later showed Young had grabbed Darnold’s face mask during the tackle, an infraction that should have drawn a 15-yard penalty and given the Vikings a crucial first down. The no-call left fans, players, and coaches questioning the officials’ judgment.
After the game, NFL official Tra Blake, who has been officiating in the league since 2020, addressed the incident with a pool reporter, explaining how the missed call occurred.
“Well, on that play, the quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me, so I did not have a good look at it,” Blake said. He went on to clarify that due to his angle, he couldn’t see the face mask being pulled. Additionally, he noted that the umpire had an obstructed view due to other players, leaving both officials unable to spot the penalty in real time. “The umpire had players between him and the quarterback, so he did not get a look at it. He was blocked out as well. So that was the thing: we did not see it, so we couldn’t call it.”
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The missed penalty left Darnold and the Vikings visibly frustrated. Quarterback Darnold voiced his frustration on the sideline, and Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was seen speaking with officials as his offense struggled to process the no-call.
The incident led the Vikings to question what could have been a potential game-tying opportunity.
Blake added that, on the field, the officiating crew did review the play after being alerted to the potential penalty by players and coaches.
“On the field, we definitely did discuss it because they did bring up a concern,” he shared. “We discussed it as a crew, but we weren’t able to see it on the field, so we weren’t able to make that call.”
While there is no guarantee that the Vikings would have gone on to tie the game or score a winning touchdown and two-point conversion, the missed penalty denied them the chance to compete on fair terms in those crucial final moments.
The no-call has reignited discussions among fans and analysts about the effectiveness of the NFL’s officiating standards, particularly in high-stakes situations.
For now, the Vikings will have to move on, but the missed face-mask call will remain a sore point for the team and its supporters as they ponder what might have been if they’d been given a fair shot in those closing seconds.
