Bill Belichick has moved onto coaching at the collegiate level, but the six-time Super Bowl champion is still willing to take aim at NFL officials.
As he has done several times this season, Belichick appeared on “ManningCast” during Monday night’s NFC Wild Card playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. The legendary coach was on the broadcast when Matthew Stafford appeared to get away with intentional grounding early in the second quarter.
The Rams were leading 10-3 and had the ball at their own 30 when it appeared Stafford fumbled as he was being dragged to the ground. Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman scooped the loose ball up and returned it for a touchdown.
The play did not stand, as replays showed Stafford had control when his arm went forward, thus making it an incomplete pass.
This was ruled an incomplete pass as Matthew Stafford flicked the ball forward toward Puka Nacua.#MINvsLAR | ABC, ESPN, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ekLrgDMlPr
— ESPN (@espn) January 14, 2025
While it did look like Stafford threw a pass, the bigger question was whether he had an eligible receiver in the area. As ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk explained, intentional grounding is not something that can be added after replay.
Belichick was disgusted that Stafford was able to avoid a sack by throwing a pass to no one.
“It’s an offensive league. What are you guys doing? There’s no rules to help the defense in the NFL,” Belichick said. “You can get away with that and call it an incomplete pass. It’s an offensive league. You guys should coach defense in the NFL. You’d know what it’s like.”
"It's an offensive league. … There's no rules to help the defense in the NFL. You can get away with that and call it an incomplete pass." @OmahaProd
—Bill Belichick on Matthew Stafford's incomplete pass. pic.twitter.com/q2zeXZNHPK
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 14, 2025
The Vikings still forced a punt, so the missed call was not all that costly. Belichick was not the only one who felt the officials got it wrong, however.
