NFL referee Bill Vinovich was seen conversing with quarterback Josh Allen during the Wild Card game between the Bills and Broncos, after missing a crucial holding call on Denver’s Patrick Surtain II. Allen said the conversation was not to apologize, but to discuss the situation. Asked about what went on during that conversation, Buffalo’s MVP candidate shared that it had to do with some of his jawing after the play.
Fans trash head referee for conversing with Josh Allen mid game
The Buffalo Bills secured a 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, with Josh Allen completing 76.9% of his passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. The next game is against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, which promises to be more exciting.
The end half was much different, though Buffalo’s faithful watched in frustration with a holding call not called on the end line, stirring controversy among fans when the referees punted from the goal line. Bill Vinovich, the head referee, reportedly met Allen on the sideline after the game to explain why a penalty was not assessed. Such is rare that officials rarely talk to players, particularly a superstar quarterback, sitting on the sidelines.
After the Bills won, Allen admitted to feeling overwhelmed by the lack of a flag, and Vinovich advised him to cool off on the sideline. “I wasn’t happy with what was going on and I was yelling a little bit, and he said, ‘Don’t be yelling.’ So my bad. Sorry,” Allen explained.
Many speculated that Vinovich was bringing Allen to the sideline to inform him of a makeup call. “Head ref talking to a whining star QB on the sideline in the middle of a playoff game totally normal!” a user said. “I have never seen a referee huddle with a QB after a blatant missed call during a game. And so friendly! Never,” ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr. replied.
“A photoshopped image of Mahomes kissing a ref is going to get more attention/views/clips than this video of something that actually happened,” a fan pointed out. “We all know what the reaction would have been if this was Mahomes instead.”
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Allen was furious when the Bills settled for three after a no-call, but it didn’t matter much in the end. The Bills beat Denver 31-7 behind Allen’s 20-of-26 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. They will host Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in the divisional round, hoping to advance to the conference championship for the first time since 2020.
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