A controversial finish marked the end of Sunday night’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, sparked by a late-game pass interference call on Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin while defending AJ Brown.
The penalty occurred on a third-and-8 with less than two minutes remaining and the Eagles holding a 16–9 lead. The moment the flag was thrown, NBC analyst and former wide receiver Cris Collinsworth voiced his disbelief, criticizing the officials for making a call that would essentially determine the outcome.
“Come on, that’s awful! That is a brutal call that’s going to decide this game!” Collinsworth exclaimed, insisting it looked more like illegal contact by Brown. After watching the replay again, he doubled down: “If anything, that’s an offensive foul.”
Following the penalty, the Eagles ran three straight rushing plays to secure the first down, then finished the game with a kneel-down. Afterward, referee Alex Kemp explained why the defensive pass interference was called.
According to Kemp, the official saw Brown’s arm being grabbed as the ball arrived, preventing him from elevating to make a play. Because the ball was already in the air, the restriction led to the flag being thrown.
Despite the backlash, Lions head coach Dan Campbell stood firmly behind Ya-Sin. Campbell said the corner played the route the same way he had all night, challenging receivers and staying aggressive in man coverage. He emphasized that he wouldn’t instruct Ya-Sin to change anything about how he handled that snap—he wants his defender to continue playing with that same assertive style.
