NFL Fans React to Controversial TD in Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Atlanta Falcons Game

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped a close game to the Atlanta Falcons 31-26 on Sunday, erasing any hopes of tying with Atlanta and making their desire to win the NFC South that much more difficult. But there was one particular play in the first quarter that caused some controversy, and NFL fans took to social media to express their displeasure with the way it played out.

With 7:19 left in the second quarter, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts in the middle of the field. Pitts managed to evade multiple Bucs defenders to attack for a score — except he slowed down near the end of his 49-yard touchdown sneak and Buccaneers safety Antoine WInfield Jr. overtook him. The play was ruled a touchdown, but Winfield Jr. appeared to have knocked the ball loose just before it crossed the plane, as Pitts carelessly held it to his side.

The referees reviewed the play and the ruling on the field stood. Shortly afterwards it was revealed that this was because they didn’t have a camera angle of a pylon to look at for the ruling – and in a match that was ultimately decided by five points, people didn’t take this well.

Here are some reactions to the piece on social media from fans and neutral observers alike:

THIS IS CRAZY

The officials called this a touchdown even though Kyle Pitts threw the ball away before getting into the end zone.

The broadcast somehow had a mast camera or goal line camera not just for this game.

INSANE… pic.twitter.com/krwUTHN9UD

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) October 27, 2024

Kyle Pitts was saved by the fact that the Falcons are playing in the only NFL game without a pylon camera since the damn Nixon administration

— Jay (GBI) (@GreatBigIdiot) October 27, 2024

Antoine Winfield was absolutely robbed. pic.twitter.com/5xm3qSUiIm

— Aaron Schill (@aaron_shill) October 27, 2024

Let me correct your message
“Antoine Winfield Jr got the ball and forced the fumble, but the officials couldn’t find any evidence due to lack of cameras.” #GoBucs https://t.co/yHhhieHvit

— Ash (@bash_daniels7) October 27, 2024

Media got better access to game changing video than the referees in-game lol. https://t.co/QjguySAeWQ

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) October 28, 2024

How does the NFL not have a pylon camera angle? That definitely looked like Winfield knocked the ball out of Pitt’s hands.

— Erjaam T. Hayes (@Eric_Jaames) October 27, 2024

Apparently pylon cam only exists when they want to show a 15th corner of a touchdown and not when it can actually help the referees do their job. https://t.co/5JK3YZtCa2

— Bailey Adams (@BaileyJAdams22) October 27, 2024

Why doesn’t the NFL have pylon cams at every game? How much could that possibly cost?

— Danny Heifetz (@Danny_Heifetz) October 27, 2024

$13,000,000,000: 2023 NFL National Revenue
$2,560,000: 1x cost of 4 mastcams in 32 stadiums
$12,997,440,000: remaining https://t.co/2qlzIIWSFJ

— KD Drummond (@KDDrummondNFL) October 27, 2024

definitely a fumble before it crossed the goal line, how do we not have cameras on every pole, you are a billion dollar sports league

— Michael Taylor (@MichaelDanger19) October 27, 2024

Atlanta-Tampa Bay just proved that we need universal mast cams. Every end zone, every stadium, every game.

— Nick Schud (@TheNickShook) October 27, 2024

As you can see, many were angry about the ruling. And now the NFL may want to invest in some more pylon cameras when it comes to future games.

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