Joe Burrow doesn’t speak up often on social media - in fact, it had been nearly two years since his last post - but when he does, it’s worth listening. And this weekend, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback broke his silence to weigh in on two of the most debated calls from the NFL Divisional Round.
His message? The refs got it right.
Burrow took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disbelief at the backlash surrounding two controversial rulings in a pair of overtime thrillers: Denver’s win over Buffalo and the Rams’ victory over Chicago. In both cases, fans and analysts lit up social media, questioning the league’s consistency on what constitutes a catch. But Burrow, never one to shy away from the details of the game, pushed back hard on the criticism.
“The amount of ppl that don’t understand what a catch is in the rule book flabbergasts me,” Burrow wrote. “And it’s not the officials. The two plays yesterday were not difficult calls, and they got them both right.”
Let’s break down the plays in question - and why Burrow might have a point.
The Buffalo-Denver Interception
Saturday night in Denver, the Bills and Broncos were locked in a tense overtime battle when Josh Allen looked to make a big play downfield. He fired a deep ball to wideout Brandin Cooks, who appeared to come down with the catch - until Broncos corner Ja’Quan McMillian wrestled it away.
The ruling on the field: interception. The officials determined McMillian had control of the ball when Cooks was ruled down by contact. That turnover set up Denver’s game-winning field goal and punched their ticket to the AFC Championship.
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott, who has since been fired, couldn’t challenge the play because of the league’s overtime rules. Instead, he called a timeout in hopes the replay officials in New York would take a closer look. They did - and quickly confirmed the ruling.
McDermott was visibly frustrated after the game, not just with the outcome but with how quickly the review process seemed to move.
“When I called the timeout, Carl [Cheffers, head referee] came over and those guys were great,” McDermott said. “I said, ‘Hey, what did you see?’
and then quickly, somebody said: ‘Hey, New York has confirmed. New York has confirmed.’
From that point, it was a moot point.”
McDermott emphasized that his frustration wasn’t about sour grapes after a loss. Instead, he pointed to the magnitude of the moment - a pivotal overtime turnover in a playoff game - and wished for a more thorough review.
The Chicago-Los Angeles No-Interception
Just a day later, a similar play sparked a very different reaction - and a fresh wave of controversy.
In the Bears’ overtime loss to the Rams, Chicago looked to have a game-changing interception when Davante Adams had a catch knocked loose by a defender. But this time, the officials ruled Adams had completed the process of the catch before the ball came out.
No turnover. Rams ball.
Five plays later, Matthew Stafford found the end zone, and the Rams eventually walked it off in overtime on a highlight-reel throw from Caleb Williams.
Fans immediately pointed out what they saw as a contradiction: how could McMillian’s play in Denver be ruled an interception, while Chicago’s apparent pick was waved off?
Burrow’s take? The difference lies in understanding the rulebook - and the nuances of what defines a completed catch versus a turnover.
And he’s not wrong. The NFL’s catch rules are notoriously specific: control, two feet down, and a football move.
In both cases, the officials applied those standards - even if the outcomes left fans scratching their heads.
A Quarterback’s Perspective
Burrow’s comments carry weight because he’s not just a casual observer - he’s a quarterback who lives and breathes these rules every week. He understands the razor-thin margins that define a completed pass or a costly turnover. And in his view, both calls were textbook.
It’s rare to see a player publicly back the officiating crew, especially in the middle of playoff season when emotions are sky-high. But Burrow’s decision to speak out - after nearly two years of silence on social media - underscores how important clarity and consistency are, not just for fans, but for players as well.
Whether or not fans agree with the rulings, Burrow’s message is clear: the officials followed the rulebook, and sometimes the right call isn’t the popular one.
As the playoff field narrows and the stakes rise, don’t be surprised if more players - and fans - start paying closer attention to the fine print of the NFL rulebook. Because in January, every inch matters.