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“Refs Gotta Be Held Accountable”: Chargers Joey Bosa Gets Fans Fumed on NFL Officiating With Brutal Take

Published 01/18/2023, 5:30 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The LA Chargers met a calamitous and historic end this season after their elimination at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The game ended in a thrilling fashion. However, the Chargers fan base felt that they were robbed by bad officiating. And no one is more vocal about it than Chargers’ outside linebacker Joey Bosa.

Bosa’s dream of facing brother Nick Bosa in the Super Bowl will have to wait longer as his raging temper got the better of him in the 31-30 loss. This is not the first time Bosa has had a problem with the league’s referees. And he was not ready to calm down after this game either, hurling allegations and blows at the officiating group in charge of the super wild-card round fixture.

Joey Bosa didn’t appreciate the penalties and he let it show

The Chargers OLB received a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the game leading to a two-point conversion for Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars who erased a 27-point deficit to advance to the divisional round. And Joey Bosa was not happy with this season-ending call and let his frustrations known. Joey claimed that the refs missed multiple holding penalties and the heat of the game got the better of him.

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However, he also demanded more accountability from the officials. And not just that. Bosa even charged the referees with having malicious intentions behind these wrong calls. “If I say something to them I get a $40,000 fine but if they blow a call that ruins an entire team’s season, they’re probably back in the locker room like, haha got that a———-, 15 yards. What a loser,” Bosa said in his last press conference this season.

 

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Some fans thought that “refs can’t blow a 27-point lead with one bad call” and asked Joey to “grow up.” However, others took Joey’s side. And condemned the officiating standard in the NFL. “Refs gotta be held accountable,” one comment said.

Bosa’s helmet slam got the Chargers in even more trouble

One fan defined the neutral territory when he commented, “Bosa is a baby and the NFL refs are horrendous. Both things can be true.” However, mostly the fans found Joey’s reaction to be hilarious. “Why is this so funny,” one fan wondered.

The Jags trailed by 4 points in their historic comeback when 27-year-old Joey Bosa had an altercation with the refs about a missed false start penalty. The 3rd overall 2016 draft pick slammed his helmet into the ground near the Chargers’ sidelines and earned his second unsportsmanlike penalty. This led to the two-point conversion and ultimately the field goal to seal the game for the Jags.

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Joey will try to maintain his composure next season when Justin Herbert and Co make a run for the playoffs again. Especially since his conduct flipped the game in Jacksonville’s favour at the most vital time. “It’s the Chargers fault they lost, but his overall message about the refs is absolutely correct,” one fan rightly summarised.

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Written by:

Soumyapriyo Ganguly

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Soumyapriyo Ganguly is an NFL writer at Essentially Sports. He holds a degree in Economics and Statistics from the Indian School of Business and Finance. Rivu is a sports nerd with his favorites being Soccer, American Football, Basketball, UFC, and Formula 1.
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Edited by:

Hitesh Nigam