Boomer Esiason incorrectly criticizes officials for critical play in Giants vs Jets

Boomer Esiason is coming under some heat for criticizing NFL officials when he shouldn’t have. The former quarterback took to X during a crucial moment of Sunday’s Giants-Jets game at MetLife Stadium.

With 17 seconds remaining in the game and the Jets trailing 10-7, Zach Wilson connected with Allen Lazard for a 29-yard gain to get into field goal range. The team rushed to the spot and spiked the ball, setting up a game-tying field goal for Greg Zuerlein to force overtime.

Esiason’s gripe? That the play should not have counted. He said that the center was the only one to spot the ball, not the official. And, at first, he was correct. But a referee clearly runs in to spot the ball quickly before the snap.

“The center actually spots the ball before the spike not the official,” Esiason wrote on X. “The spike play shouldn’t have happened. Game should have been over.”

The center actually spots the ball before the spike not the official . The spike play shouldn’t have happened. Game should have been over. @NFL @NFLOfficiating https://t.co/XpOk6bgEU7

— Boomer Esiason (@7BOOMERESIASON) October 30, 2023

Esiason took some heat for his comment on the social media platform. Many pointed out that the former QB was wrong, citing the official coming into the screen and spotting the ball.

Zuerlein’s field goal sent the game to overtime and the Jets took advantage. The defense forced the Giants to go three-and-out on the first overtime possession. After the punt, the Jets used six plays to drive 46 yards to set up a game-winning field goal for Zuerlein from 33 yards out.

Despite the injury to Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, the Jets are now 4-3 on the season. The Giants dropped to 2-6 with the loss.

Aaron Rodgers hoping to return to Jets this season

An Achilles injury might be a season-ender for a lot of players in the NFL. Rodgers said during last week’s ManningCast that he hopes to return to the field at some point during this season.

“I’ve had a couple injuries over the years, and I think for me — you always have to set a goal,” Rodgers said. “Otherwise you go kind of crazy. And so the goal is to definitely come back. There’s a lot of factors that go into that. I gotta get to a point where I can protect myself and then do what I do.”

Rodgers suffered the injury just a few plays into the season opener, which seemed to end his first year with New York. We’ll see if he can actually get back to playing at some point before the season ends.