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Alexander Johnson’s hit on Sam Darnold prompted debate on social media before the Jets quarterback even briefly left the game.
Should officials have thrown a flag on the Broncos linebacker for roughing the passer?
FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira, the NFL’s former supervisor of officials, said on Twitter the hit was legal.
“He was swung down and not lifted up and driven into the ground. No reverse suplex here,” Pereira wrote during the game.
A definitive answer will come a week from now when the NFL announces fines.
Jets coach Adam Gase didn’t offer an opinion Friday but said he will question the league about the hit next week.
“It’s hard for me to say on the hit that Sam got hurt on,” Gase said, via Peter Botte of The New York Post. “I don’t know if it was hard for them to tell with him. He had to escape from the pocket a couple of times and got free. I don’t know how the officials saw that. I’m going to ask once this weekend is over because these guys with the slate of games on Sunday.”
