Perhaps the most controversial play of this year’s playoffs happened when Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen forced Browns receiver Rashard Higgins to fumble into the end zone with a helmet-to-helmet hit that wasn’t flagged.
Sorensen was also not fined for the hit, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports.
A fine would be a tacit acknowledgement that the officials screwed up by not throwing the flag. A penalty would have been a huge call. It would have given Cleveland first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Instead, Kansas City got the ball at the 20-yard line after the ball went out of bounds in the end zone.
With first-and-goal, Cleveland likely would have scored seven points. Instead, the Browns lost the game by five points. Adding insult to injury, the Chiefs drove down the field for a field goal just before halftime. That was one of the most consequential plays of the year.