Pat Bryant’s name was already tied to one of the biggest swings in the Broncos’ Monday night comeback against the Rams. On Tuesday, he made sure it stayed there.
With Denver trailing 26-23 and just 1:10 left, Bryant drew a pass interference flag on Rams corner Josh Wallace. The call erased what would have been a game-sealing interception by Wallace and gave the Broncos new life. Denver cashed in immediately, with Bo Nix punching in a 1-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds remaining to finish off a stunning rally after the Broncos had been down 16-0 at halftime.
When CBS Sports Colorado’s Romi Bean asked Bryant whether the play really was pass interference, he didn’t dodge it.
“It was a little pass interference … I did sell it just enough to get the flag,” Bryant said. “He definitely gave me a little nudge … it was either the ball or the call, and I couldn’t get the ball, so we ended up getting the call.”
Bean followed up by asking if players have an “art of the flop,” the way basketball and soccer players do.
“Oh yeah, of course,” Bryant said.
That only added fuel to a call that was already getting ripped across the football world. NFL reporter Ben Stevens criticized the play on X, saying Bryant tugged Wallace’s shoulder pad and then flopped even though Wallace still came down with the interception. Stevens called it a “Horrendous PI call.”
Another post from NFL influencer Wok Dior also took aim at Bryant’s reaction and argued Wallace should have been credited with the pick.
Bryant said fans have also been flooding his social media since the game.
The rookie receiver still had a real hand in Denver’s win beyond that controversial snap. He finished with two catches for 44 yards and a touchdown against Los Angeles. Afterward, Broncos head coach Sean Payton praised him.
“He has real good hands away from his body,” Payton said of Bryant after the game. “He high points the two-point play.
It was really covered, and [QB] Bo [Nix] and he do a great job of just finding a throwing lane. Because of how he can catch, he’s good with run after the catch.”
But the line Bryant delivered Tuesday may be the one that lingers longest: he said he sold the call, and did it just enough to get the flag.
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