The new K-ball rules have undoubtedly changed the game for NFL kickers, who have been hitting clinical conversion rates. But the last Sunday, when Vikings kicker Will Reichard, of all people, missed a 51-yarder against the Browns, that would have tied the game. Totally out of character. While most assumed it was just a rare misfire, linebacker Jonathan Greenard insists there’s more to the story. And his explanation could land him in a little hot water with the league.

According to Greenard, the kick wasn’t just off; it was interfered with by a guide wire. “He kicked the ball and I see how it went wide and I’m like, something’s off,” Jonathan Greenard said. “Will never hits a bad miss like that. Then we got on the bus, and we’re talking, he’s kind of going back and forth, and he didn’t want to call it that.”

“We’re all in kind of this weird space, like, do we say he missed it, or was it a bad hit, or the cord actually hit it. Me? I’m gonna say yes. The cord definitely did hit it, and we missed the field goal. I don’t know if I get fined. Whatever the case may be, I’m standing on it,” Greenard added.

That’s bold, especially considering how heavy the NFL’s hand has been with fines lately. Still, you can’t totally blame him for being frustrated. The Vikings ended up pulling off a 21–17 win, but that miss could’ve been a turning point.

With just under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter and Minnesota trailing by three, Reichard’s 51-yard kick would’ve tied the game. The ball looked dead-center at first… until it suddenly veered wide right.

And officially, it went down as a miss. Reichard’s first of the season. Before that, he was a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond 50 yards, including a monster 62-yarder against Cincinnati in Week 3. Safe to say, something about that kick looked off.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t get a clear look either and relied on fans’ reaction to understand what on earth had just happened. “I didn’t notice anything during the game,” O’Connell said. ” That’s a pretty tough angle for us normally, anyway. Most of the time, I’m just trying to gauge the crowd reaction. I did not see it in the moment.”

As for Jonathan Greenard, he might want to tread lightly. Because calling out officiating or hinting at a replay controversy usually earns a nice little envelope from the league office. Luckily, the Vikings escaped with a win, or this story might’ve gotten much louder. And this wasn’t the only controversy on Sunday.

Vikings weren’t the only victims of interference

Another play was interfered with…because of a Fox Skycam. On third-and-goal from the seven, QB Justin Fields tried to dump off a screen pass to Breece Hall. The ball got batted by Cowboys DE Dante Fowler Jr., popped straight into the air… and hit the SkyCam overhead.

You’d assume that kind of thing would trigger an automatic replay, but officials ruled it an incomplete pass, and the Jets had to settle for a field goal. It turned what should’ve been a clear-cut hot at the end zone into just three points. For a winless team starving for any kind of momentum, that had to sting.

What’s more frustrating is that the rulebook explicitly says the play should’ve been replayed. “If a loose ball in play strikes a video board, guide wire, sky cam, or any other object, the ball will be dead immediately, and the down will be replayed at the previous spot,” it says. So technically, both the Vikings’ and Jets’ situations should’ve been do-overs.

But the Jets didn’t help themselves either. The refs missed it live, replay assist stayed silent, and the Jets didn’t challenge. So instead of getting one more crack at the end zone, the Jets’ best drive of the season (13 plays, 68 yards) only accounted for 3 points.