Al Michaels had seen enough.
The legendary broadcaster was calling his 20th game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants on Thursday in New Jersey, but he was having a hard time watching the action despite all the yellow flags.
“They should record that: A flag is down,” Michaels said of Clay Martin’s officiating crew, which spent much of the night addressing fans over MetLife Stadium’s public address system.
In the first two quarters alone, Dallas and New York combined for 12 penalties for 95 yards, several of which were iffy at best.
‘And for a change, there is no flag. I never want to rush this crew,” Michaels said, mistakenly, moments before another flag was thrown.
Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger gets called to wear a mask as his own grill is grabbed
CeeDee Lamb was celebrating a touchdown when an official flagged him for taunting.
Al Michaels called his 20th game between the Cowboys and Giants on Thursday in New Jersey
The two penalties that were the most egregious in the eyes of fans were a mask penalty on Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger and a taunt flag on Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
Bellinger’s mask was particularly gruesome because it was Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown who had actually grabbed his grill and not the other way around.
“REF MIXED UP AND PUT HIS MASK BACK, CALLED HIM TO THE WRONG TEAM, COST THE GIANTS 15 YARDS,” former FS1 host Skip Bayless wrote in X’s in all caps. ‘UNREAL.’
Still, New York ended the series with a field goal, but might have had a better chance to score without the flag.
Lamb’s taunting penalty came after a 55-yard touchdown reception by Dak Prescott, which gave Dallas a 14-6 lead.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Lamb returned the ball to his Giants defender, Deonte Banks, prompting the 15-yard flag.
“This teasing is getting out of hand,” one fan wrote on X. “Are you telling me that was worth it?!”
‘Weakest taunt flag in NFL history?’ asked another.
One fan put it bluntly: ‘These referees are atrocious. That’s mockery. LMAO.’