It was a penalty that may have changed the course of the Commanders season, when a referee flagged wide receiver Terry McLaurin for illegal formation in the final minute of Sunday's 20-12 loss to the Giants.
The official's judgment call — for a penalty that took place far off-the-ball — took a Brian Robinson rushing touchdown off the board, forcing a critical fourth down.
Former Washington head coach Jay Gruden was irate over the call when asked about it during an appearance with 106.7 The Fan's Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier.
"I don't know what I would have done," Gruden said. "I might have run across the field and tackled that referee. I don't understand how you can make that call. It's the worst call I've seen."
"I can see a judgment call, a pass interference call — they didn't call it, they did call it, maybe," Gruden continued. "But to make that call in that part of the game I think is just... that referee should be suspended in my opinion.
"That's a horrible call. Especially a guy like Terry. He's been lined up over there all game. He lined up in that same formation probably 25 times throughout the course of the game. He's standing right in front of him, he pointed at the ground twice. I mean, come on. You don't throw a flag in that situation, ever."
Asked if the official could have warned McLaurin to be more careful on the upcoming play, Gruden said, "It happens all the time. A lot of times when left tackles or right tackles, they line up a little bit too deep in the backfield, the referees will come up to the coach like, 'Hey, your tackles are lined up a little bit deep. If they keep doing it, we're gonna throw a flag.' And that's the same case with Terry. I mean it's unbelievable they threw that flag. Don't get me started on that referee."
Gruden couldn't recall the official's name but certainly remembers his face: "I don't know his name but I remember him. I don't like any referees."
"It makes no sense. Like, there's no way he can justify that call," Gruden said. "There's no chance he can justify that call, making that call at that time of the game, what happened on the play. It's not like it was a bump-and-run fade route where Terry was trying to get further off the ball to avoid bump-and-run. No, this was a dive up the middle for God's sakes."
Asked specifically if McLaurin followed the proper mechanics of addressing the official before he was flagged, Gruden said, "The mechanics were correct. Terry was off the ball too much and then he was told to move up and Terry moved up and pointed and they snapped the ball and ran for a touchdown."
"The referee did the right thing initially," he said. "Terry did the right thing by scooting up, and the guy still threw the flag. It's crazy."
