After the Bengals’ narrow 31-27 victory against the Jaguars, Dave Portnoy had quite a reaction to a late-game call that ignited some controversy. The founder of Barstool Sports voiced his frustrations on social media regarding the decision to penalize rookie Travis Hunter for pass interference, labeling it “silly.” The play, which occurred near the end of the fourth quarter, played a significant role in the game’s outcome.
“Let’s be real—this was the game on the line, and you call that pass interference?” Portnoy expressed. “It’s just absurd. You can’t let a referee dictate the fate of a game like that,” he added, clearly agitated by the officiating.
The call in question happened when Hunter, who was playing cornerback, deflected a pass intended for Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosvov. As a result of the penalty, the Bengals received a 25-yard gain and had a new set of downs at the Jaguars’ 42-yard line.
Capitalizing on this opportunity, backup quarterback Jake Browning led the Bengals to a touchdown with just 18 seconds remaining in regulation.
Portnoy didn’t hold back in his criticism of the officials, praising Hunter’s defensive skills while condemning the ruling as “disgusting.” “This is absolutely crazy,” he remarked. “He turned and deflected the ball beautifully. That’s how defense is supposed to be played!”
Fuming over the call, Portnoy suggested that, if he were a Jaguars fan, he might even consider boycotting the team. Meanwhile, Hunter, selected as the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, addressed the decision in a post-game press conference. “I can’t just leave it to the referees. I need to focus on my role and work on positioning myself better,” he stated.
The loss left the Jaguars at 1-1 for the season, while the Bengals improved to 2-0. Complicating matters for Cincinnati, starting quarterback Joe Burrow is facing surgery for what seems to be a severe case of turf toe, sidelining him for an estimated three months.
