The NFL has reportedly owned up to a critical officiating error that marred the finish of a Week 3 showdown between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. According to Rams head coach Sean McVay, the league office informed him that the defensive pass interference penalty on cornerback Josh Wallace — a flag that wiped out a game-sealing interception — never should have been thrown.
The play in question unfolded with just over a minute left and the Rams clinging to a 26-23 lead. Wallace appeared to pick off a Broncos pass, but the celebration was short-lived as officials flagged him for pass interference. Instead of securing the victory, Los Angeles watched Denver march down the field and steal the game. The call immediately became one of the most debated moments of the young NFL season.
McVay: League Admitted the Mistake
Speaking to reporters, McVay revealed that the NFL's front office reached out to acknowledge the error. “McVay said today that the league office told him pass interference should not have been called on Wallace,” Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported. The admission only amplified the frustration in Los Angeles, where the Rams felt robbed of a hard-fought win.
Despite the sting of the loss, McVay struck a measured tone earlier in the week. He insisted his team wouldn't use the blown call as a crutch. “It doesn't really matter,” McVay said Monday. “It is what it is. That was the call that was made and there was a lot of opportunities that we had to be able to close the door on that game. … But I wouldn't have any additional coaching points for how Josh [Wallace] plays through the cycle of the snap. But I'm not going to make excuses either and we're not going to play the victim card.”
Broncos Receiver Admits to Selling the Call
Adding another layer to the controversy, Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant candidly admitted after the game that he embellished the contact to draw the flag. “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 that I felt. I felt like I couldn't get the ball, so it was either the ball or the call. … It's something that a lot of people do in this league, I kinda used it to my advantage.”
Bryant's honesty might earn him points for candor, but it won't ease the pain for a Rams locker room that believes the outcome was decided by the men in stripes rather than the players on the field. The incident has reignited familiar debates about replay assistance and the subjective nature of pass interference — a topic that has plagued the league for years.
For now, the Rams are left to wonder what might have been, while the Broncos escape with a win they know required a little help. The NFL's reported admission won't change the standings, but it adds another chapter to the ongoing conversation about officiating accountability. As the season wears on, all eyes will remain on the league's referees — and whether they can avoid similar game-altering blunders.
