Nothing explains the NFL’s officiating problem better than the Green Bay Packers’ opening play against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Packers returner Keisean Nixon fumbled the kickoff, which was eventually recovered by Green Bay, clearly, based on the overhead shot. Because that overhead shot wasn’t available inside the stadium, though, only on the broadcast, the officials were unable to overturn the call on the field that the Eagles recovered the ball after a dogpile.
Now, the NFL fined the player who caused the fumble, former Packers draft pick Oren Burks, $8,333 for a helmet-to-helmet hit a week after the game.