NFL Legend Leads Calls Against Refs for Punishing Eagles’ Reed Blankenship During Cowboys Game

It’s in fractions of a second that legends are either born or buried, and on a pivotal Thursday night in Philadelphia, it seemed for all the world that Reed Blankenship was about to be the former. Then, the flag flew. The play was a microcosm of the entire Eagles–Cowboys feud: chaotic, violent, and breathtakingly consequential. With the score 24-20 and Dallas threatening in the end zone, a pass sailed toward Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson.

As he knelt, stumbling, Eagles safety Blankenship launched himself forward, a missile of desperation and technique. The collision was fierce, the ball fell as safety Andrew Mukuba forgot to catch it, and the stadium erupted… until they saw the official’s signal. Unnecessary roughness.

From the broadcast booth to social media, the outcry was immediate and fierce: NFL legend and ESPN analyst Richard Sherman. Never one to mince words, Sherman took to X and laid it out. “Don’t agree with that call on (Reed) Blankenship, but Ball doesn’t lie,” he tweeted, cutting to the heart of the matter. “Not sure what he’s expected to do here. Just not realistic.”

Sherman captured the universal frustration of every defensive player facing the league’s ever-tightening enforcement. What is a fundamentally sound, game-saving play if not this? Sherman, however, being the ultimate competitor, couldn’t leave it at just the critique, adding with a nod to Philly’s resilience, “But big play by the Eagles Defense on the following play.”

That ethos—’ball don’t lie‘—isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a basketball-turned-gridiron gospel that suggests the universe has a way of correcting artificial injustice. Analyst Tazim Wajid echoed the sentiment, tweeting, “FYI… BALL DON’ LIE: That was a horrible call against Blankenship… That was not a blow to the head. He hit the ball and Ferguson’s left shoulder.”

But to understand why this moment mattered so much, why a single penalty flag could ignite such a passionate defense from a Hall of Famer, you have to understand the man it was thrown against.

From undrafted underdog to defensive captain – Reed Blankenship

Four years ago, Blankenship was an undrafted free agent from Middle Tennessee State, handed a modest $5K signing bonus and a long shot. Today, he’s a defensive captain for the reigning Super Bowl champions, a title that still leaves him awestruck. “Emotions were all over the place,” Blankenship told NBC Sports Philadelphia after being named captain. “It’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be a captain, especially in the league.”

At MTSU, while other starters rested, Blankenship would stand behind the second-team defense, visualizing his assignments. On off days, he was a fixture at the facility, immersed in film with his defensive coordinator. “He did all of those little things you have to do to keep your body in shape and keep your mind (sharp) and keep your understanding of the game,” offensive analyst Rick Stockstill recalled. That work ethic forged a player with preternatural anticipation, a “nerd of the game,” as teammate Kelee Ringo lovingly calls him. “You might not be the fastest or the strongest, but man, you’re playing steps ahead of other guys because of your preparation.”

This is the culture Blankenship now cultivates in Philadelphia’s secondary. He’s the glue, the locker buddy rookie Andrew Mukuba leans over to for every question, the veteran who coaches up rather than chews out. “He’s a caring person who loves his teammates and a person that’s going to demand the best out of you because he knows who you are, what he can get out of you,” Mukuba said.

He’s the organizer of DB dinners, the guy with a constant smile, the easy-going ‘great cat‘ that rookie Mac McWilliams looks up to. His value is quantified in his stats, 7 INTs and 191 tackles in his first two seasons as a starter, but it’s truly measured in the respect he commands and the standard he sets. So when a flag tries to define a moment he earned through a lifetime of grind, it’s no surprise that a legend like Sherman would speak up.