Patrick Mahomes got the softest roughing the passer call of the year

• NFL

One of the worst calls of the year.

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The NFL’s rule for Roughing the Passer is basically a flowchart that begins with “is the QB a star?” When it comes to Patrick Mahomes he’s going to get the benefit of the doubt the same way Tom Brady used to, but even Brady would rarely get a call this soft.

The ball is still in Mahomes’ hand when No. 90 Grover Stewart initiates contact. Tony Romo did his best on the call for CBS to try and justify it, arguing that it was because Stewart “drove Mahomes into the ground” with his bodyweight — which raises the question how anybody is supposed to be able to tackle anyone in the NFL.

Essentially what the refs are asking a pass rusher to do is to make contact with the quarterback, only when they have a the ball, but not around the head. Then if they’re making a legal tackle, they somehow need to realize the QB is going down to the ground within a split second, and find a way to roll off them mid-air, lest they drive an opponent into the ground.

Alternatively: The refs had been getting blasted by the Kansas City crowd and decided to throw a penalty their way. The system is so broken, because nobody else in the league is getting this call.

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