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Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young had an excuse ready for his reaction to Thursday’s controversial safety.
Young sacked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in the end zone during the Rams’ 30-20 Week 8 victory, but it looked like he would be penalized for a face mask on the play. However, no infraction was called on the play.
In the moment, he put his hands on his helmet and appeared to acknowledge that he had committed the penalty. When this reaction was pointed out on social media, Young took to X to joke that he was simply covering his ears due to the loud noise in the stadium.
Murphy’s safety came with just 1:36 remaining in the game and pretty much ended any chance at the Vikings completing a comeback victory.
While Minnesota would have needed to scale the majority of the field in order to tie the game, the penalty still took that opportunity away. Following the game, referee Tra Blake explained that he “did not have a good look” at the play and that he did not see the penalty in real time.
“The quarterback was facing the opposite direction from me, so I did not have a good look at it,” Blake said, per Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I did not have a look, and I did not see the face mask being pulled, obviously.”
Despite the clear video evidence, NFL rules declare that the play is not reviewable.
While it was a disastrous play for a Vikings team that drops to 5-2 on the season, it was a big moment for Young and the Rams, who move to 3-4 on the season. This has the team in contention for the NFC West, as they are just one game behind the division-leading Seattle Seahawks.
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