Outrage sizzled across social media Thursday night after Dallas Cowboys fans argued that referees handed the Detroit Lions a 44-30 victory.
As noted by the Sporting News, Dallas was on the move in the fourth quarter as quarterback Dak Prescott tried to connect with tight end Jake Ferguson in the end zone, hoping to cut Detroit’s lead to three points.
After bumping between Ferguson and Detroit defenders, a penalty flag came out. The call was offensive pass interference, apparently from Ferguson’s effort to get past Detroit linebacker Alex Anzalone.
Refs called offensive pass interference on the Cowboys on this… pic.twitter.com/S9rD92ZKRJ
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) December 5, 2025
Detroit declined the penalty, making it fourth down for Dallas. Had the call gone the other way, Dallas would have been in a first-and-goal situation.
Dallas kicked a field goal. Detroit then marched down the field to seal the win.
The call was in dispute from the moment it was made.
“I just see him kind of swimming through,” rules analyst and former referee Terry McAulay said on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast, according to Awful Announcing.
“I don’t see offensive pass interference. He swims through right there, which is perfectly legal, and then gets grabbed. I don’t see offensive pass interference at all,” he said.
Before the call, announcers expected it to go the other way.
“More than likely, that’s going to be on the linebacker, (Alex) Anzalone, who was matched up there in man-to-man coverage against Ferguson,” Prime commentator Kirk Herbstreit said. “He grabbed that waist with that right hand.”
THAT’S NOT OFFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE!!!! THAT’S A JOKE. JUST PURE ROBBERY.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 5, 2025
I despise the cowboys, but that offensive pass interference call was absolute trash. So bad Congress should investigate. pic.twitter.com/LfVuGLg9IG
— ELLIOT NESS (@JustinTimeKelt) December 5, 2025
Fans were angry, with one calling the call “pure robbery” and another saying, “Congress should investigate.”
Prescott, asked about the call after the game, said, “Do I get fined for talking about this?… I’m sorry, that was bad,” according to the Sporting News.
🚨🚨INSANE CALL🚨🚨
The refs called this an offensive pass interference on #Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson — Even though Detroit linebacker Alex Anzalone was the one who grabbed Ferguson.
😳😳
Detroit should’ve been penalized setting up Dallas for a TD.pic.twitter.com/EZivzhctte
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 5, 2025
“I got to look at the film, maybe I can see it from their vantage point. I know I talked to the ref after, he said [Ferguson] aggressively pulled through. I’ve never seen a call like that,” he said.
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