Sean McDermott on Tyreek Hill’s unpenalized taunt: You’re very observant

Posted by Charean Williams on January 25, 2022, 3:15 PM EST
AFC Divisional Playoffs - Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs
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The NFL made taunting a point of emphasis this season having seen enough after Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. flashed Tyreek Hill‘s signature peace sign in the face of the Chiefs receiver at the end of the Super Bowl last year. It was payback for Hill taunting Winfield in the regular season.

Hill was not penalized or fined. Winfield was penalized and fined $7,815.

Once again, NFL officials let Hill get away with one.

As Hill neared the end zone on his 64-yard touchdown with 1:02 remaining Sunday, he flashed the peace sign at Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Officials somehow missed it. Or ignored it.

Hill was not penalized, though he can expect a fine this week.

On Tuesday, Bills coach Sean McDermott was asked about the missed call. He smiled as he answered.

“I appreciate you asking that, Kim (Jones),” McDermott said, via NFL Media. “You’re very observant, but I’m not going to go any further.”

The Bills, who trailed 32-29 at the time, could have chosen to back up the extra point attempt 15 yards or take the 15 yards on the kickoff. Maybe the penalty wouldn’t have mattered in a furious two minutes. Or maybe it would have. We’ll never know.

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51 responses to “Sean McDermott on Tyreek Hill’s unpenalized taunt: You’re very observant”

  1. Really, coach, you’re going there? What about the refs missing the helmet to helmet on Mahomes I heard in California? Have you observed that? And, had Hill been flagged for taunting it would have been enforced on the next play, the extra point. Happened to the Chiefs earlier this season after a RB pointed at someone. Chiefs kicked an extra point from about 40 yards out. Made it. Did you observe Hall of Fame TE Kelce being single covered by a LB, after Kelce moved to the LB hoping he’d get single coverage?

  2. It’s funny how this guy wants to make excuses and dodge the question as to why his coaches and D wasn’t prepared at the end of the game, making it the worst chokejob in postseason history, save for the SB comeback by NE vs the Falcons.

    He just keeps running his mouth, because he’s good at that, but skirting any follow up on blowing a chance at hosting the AFC title game.

  3. Yeah I dunno, it could’ve been called BUT what’s the narrative if they do? You call taunting there, it looks like you’re giving Buffalo the game. He kinda was doing it to Kelce in my honest opinion!

  4. I’d they enforced the taunt as a spot of the foul; you’d never see his Peace Sign again. It’s just another rule the NFL added that is at the referees personal discretion.

    Hey how’s it going Cassius Marsh?

  5. Good question by the reporter but she should have also asked why McDermott didn’t force the Chiefs to take some time off the 13 seconds remaining on the clock during the kickoff. To me it’s one of most epic coaching failures in the Super Bowl era. No excuse for it. If the Bills had forced a minimum of just 3 seconds off the clock the Chiefs would have been able to use only 1, not 2, of their timeouts (aside from perhaps a couple of 10 yd outs that would have done nothing) and the first play would have had to put them in FG position or the second (and last) play would have had to have been a hail mary attempt.

  6. Are we going to pretend the new taunting rules are anything but totally arbitrary? It’s a terrible rule change.

  7. With 13 seconds left, why not keep holding/tackling all receivers at the line of scrimmage and get 5 yard penalties until the clock runs out?

  10. The taunt occurred during the play, not after it. Doesn’t that take the TD off the board?

  11. With 13 seconds left, why not keep holding/tackling all receivers at the line of scrimmage and get 5 yard penalties until the clock runs out?

    —- this is genius.

  12. About 50 million people saw him do it at home. It IS taunting, that s/b enforced. The fact that Hill hasn’t exactly had an altar-boy reputation isn’t helping his cause. He’s the fastest player I’ve seen but someday someone will be standing over HIM, shaking a peace sign.

  13. Under the rules of course it is but it just shows why this rule doesn’t need to be prioritized like it was this year. If you can’t control yourself not to fight after this than you should be flagged. He was just calling for peace while he burnt you like toast.

  14. Boy oh boy, if you have to rely on a taunting penalty (something that does not affect the actual play at all) to try to reconcile your anger about losing then that says something about you. You could try placing the blame on a half dozen other areas, but if this non-call is the hill you are willing to die on then you are just actively searching for excuses. As has been pointed out, there have been many missed calls, a lot of them that affected the game more than a taunting penalty would have. “But, but, but…peace sign, I’m offended!” C’mon people, get a grip.

  15. Are we going to pretend the new taunting rules are anything but totally arbitrary? It’s a terrible rule change.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Not a new rule. Been in the rulebook for years. Its now merely a point of emphasis for referees.

  16. iota says:
    “With 13 seconds left, why not keep holding/tackling all receivers at the line of scrimmage and get 5 yard penalties until the clock runs out?”

    I can see the merit of doing it for one play but the game cannot end on a defensive foul so even if the clock runs out the ref will keep giving the offense an untimed play. That happened in a Raiders game before.

  17. Coach better and you won’t have to focus on such picayune stuff Sean…
    The list of Bills who I have sympathy and respect for currently stands at one, Josh Allen. A true baller, and not a hint of being a crybaby even after a tough tough loss.
    He deserves a better head coach, one that owns up to his mistakes, learns from them and comes back even harder next time.

  18. touchback6 says:
    January 25, 2022 at 3:23 pm
    It’s funny how this guy wants to make excuses and dodge the question as to why his coaches and D wasn’t prepared at the end of the game, making it the worst chokejob in postseason history, save for the SB comeback by NE vs the Falcons.

    He just keeps running his mouth, because he’s good at that, but skirting any follow up on blowing a chance at hosting the AFC title game.

    —————
    Remember when the bills pitched a perfect game? 7 for 7. First and only time it will ever happen. Yet you’re hear running your mouth after your team was obliterated by the bills.

  19. About 50 million people saw him do it at home. It IS taunting, that s/b enforced. The fact that Hill hasn’t exactly had an altar-boy reputation isn’t helping his cause. He’s the fastest player I’ve seen but someday someone will be standing over HIM, shaking a peace sign.
    __________________________________________________________________________________________
    This actually happened at the end of Tampa’s Super Bowl win last year over the chiefs courtesy of one Mr. Antoine Winfield and it was SWEET!!!

  20. In hindsight a penalty might’ve helped Buffalo, as we already know they lost.

    Buffalo can’t really make a big deal about the play because honestly a penalty in that situation would’ve actually helped KC kill the clock before scoring a TD.

    In this day and age, you have to expect to lose when giving the ball back to the other team.

    The 1900’s are long gone when you could punt the ball back to the other team with 2:00 and full expect to win, even if your up by 1.

    Now a days, if your up 1 with 2:00 to go, you can lose by 13 in the blink of an eye. Chances are you’d lose by 14 because they’d go for 2 and get that.

    Tyreek Hill should’ve sat down at the 5 yard line……so a penalty would’ve liked hurt Buffalo in that instance.

  21. I think they just let it go since they let the defender pull his jersey for about 5 yards before he caught it.

  22. So are we pretending the Bills didn’t commit any penalties that weren’t called? Offensive holding on the Bills 1st TD, a late hit on Mahomes out of bounds and a hit to the head in the pocket come to mind. Or maybe…juuuuussst maybe….there were penalties committed by both teams that weren’t called.

  23. Love all the haters piling on the Bills, just because they can. The fact is that the officiating has been crap all season and everyone knows it. This is just another example. I don’t think it’s something that should have affected the outcome of the game and I’m glad it didn’t, but come on, the officiating in general has sucked all season.

  24. Lots of commenters furiously attacking their own straw men here. The reporter asked him a question, trying to bait him into a reaction, and he smiled for a second and shut it down so they could move onto the next question. If you think that says anything about McDermott or the Bills then you simply can’t be helped.

  25. Is it really taunting if he hadn’t scored yet and the defends were ahead of him with the angle to cut him off? I mean, if you can’t stop a guy running at you, that you have the angle on, because he’s THAT FAST… maybe that was just awesome and we shouldn’t get our feeling hurt about the officials not flagging a non football move that WE have complained about them flagging all year.

  26. Sounds like McDermott doesn’t need to say anything, it was quite obvious what happened and what wasn’t called.

  27. With 13 seconds left, why not keep holding/tackling all receivers at the line of scrimmage and get 5 yard penalties until the clock runs out?

    While this sounds great in theory, a game cannot end on a defensive penalty, so one runs the risk of an untimed play at the end of regulation….

  28. It was easy to see the gesture with no Bills’ defenders within 10 yards of him. You’d think that would be what McDermott would be most concerned about.

  29. TB6 and usual Bills haters piling on because they don’t have reading comprehension. Coach didn’t bring it up and as a matter of fact never referenced it until asked.
    So you can pile on but the Bills didn’t complain about OT, nor the possible taunting, etc. We lost an epic game – all there is too it and we shoulda won , we didn’t make the plays at the end. As for TB he’s only come out now after getting absolutely mauled in the wildcard round. Enjoy noodle arm – Allen and Mahomes will do this again, hopefully we can get past them.

  30. I feel like Hill was the reason they made taunting a point of emphasis this year after he got the peace sign flashed in his own face. It was weird that it wasn’t flagged after seeing everything else flagged for taunting this year.

  31. Stupid “taunting” rules aside we can all agree on one thing – the Bills own the Patriots, and that’s never changing with Allen as one QB and noodle arm Jones as the other.

  32. Since you want to talk about taunting…what about the Bills defender doing the tomahawk chop in the 3rd qtr after tackling the RB in the backfield? Also…not called. But I guess we will ignore that one and focus on the winning team. SMDH.

  33. Yeah – Pats fans posting today like they won the game.

    Bills have 2 division titles in a row, and have won 4 out of 5 now. With the only Pats win relying on hurricane-force winds.

    You’ll always have the DVD’s, Patriot fans – but I’m more worried about the Phins and Jets challenging for the division than New England.

  34. @Patrick

    Josh Allen hasn’t won anything yet and both he and Mac Jones will be watching the championship game and the SB from the couch.

  35. So you can pile on but the Bills didn’t complain about OT, nor the possible taunting, etc. We lost an epic game – all there is too it and we shoulda won , we didn’t make the plays at the end

    ____

    What are the Bills going to complain about re OT? The rules? They have nothing to complain about. The rules re OT are clear.

    What Bills fans should be complaining about, or at least concerned about, is your HC and DC making boneheaded decisions that cost you the game, and then doubling down on them afterwards. If they dont learn from their mistakes, they are going to repeat them. McD’s comments today show he didnt learn anything. Hes going to cost you more games in the future.

  37. I’m a long time Bills Fan (1964) The Refs did a great job in this game NOT calling a lot of ticky-tack penalties and let the players play the game. To then call a taunting call would have been total BS. We all got to see a Great Game, one for the ages. We are all talking about Mahomes and Allen instead of a Refs call. Great game by the Refs, I applaud you.
    Congrats to the Chiefs. Go Bills !

  38. I’m more worried about the Phins and Jets challenging for the division than New England.

    —

    Stop!.. you’re not more worried about the Jets and Dolphins
    Yes the Bills won the division by one whole game. They didn’t run away with it. And yes they beat the Patriots in the playoffs but lost the next week so it really doesn’t mean that much. They Bills will get the same trophy the patriots get. (Nothing)

  39. LOL, everyone is piling on a guy who turned around a franchise..
    Best young coach in the league.

  40. The reason why that game was so good is that the refs avoided stupid ticky-tac calls like this and let the game speak for itself.

  42. After reading the comments to this story people, either have very poor reading comprehension or are just reading the headline then going strait to the comments.

  43. @patsfan4lifedynasty

    Tom Brady was the dynasty. He’s gone. Mac Jones will never get past the Bills or any other team with a real QB. Pats are irrelevant and the excuses, delusion and investment of their fans is delicious.

  44. Just once I would like to see Tyreek Hill crossing the field at full speed only to be sent horizontal with a crushing hit that clears his sinuses. I think that’ll be the best way to settle up all accounts with this little water bug and his obnoxious taunting antics. No flags or fines necessary, just old school football.

  45. @Patrick

    I wouldn’t say never. Belichick has figured out how to stop much better QBs than Josh Allen. He will figure out Allen. The NFL defenses eventually catch up to everyone. The Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Kelce were held to only 9 points in the SB just last year.

  46. “I wouldn’t say never. Belichick has figured out how to stop much better QBs than Josh Allen. He will figure out Allen. The NFL defenses eventually catch up to everyone. The Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Kelce were held to only 9 points in the SB just last year.”
    __________________________________

    Generally, QB’s get better against Belichick. He bested P. Manning for years, until Manning figured out his defenses and won the latter half of that rivalry.

    The only reason KC’s offense struggled last SB was because their O-line was down a few key players. Mahomes had no time in the pocket (and still made some amazing throws).

    BB is a legend, and will always be viewed as the greatest by many. But it’s the Bills’ time now.

  47. BB is a legend, and will always be viewed as the greatest by many. But it’s the Bills’ time now.–
    gotta give bill’s fan some respect for acknowleding belichick’s greatness. I’ll go half way too – you have the qb, but he deserves better than McMuffin .

  48. McDermott: “ I’m not going to go any further,” choosing to not make a big deal of an obviously missed and ultimately insignificant penalty.

    90% of comments: OMG he is such a crybaby, shoulda coached better!

  49. “Stupid “taunting” rules aside we can all agree on one thing – the Bills own the Patriots, and that’s never changing with Allen as one QB and noodle arm Jones as the other.”

    Man, the Pats still own you, huh? You going to be hanging that banner this year? This is the year, right? You played “We are the Champions” after you beat the Pats. If the Bills are the champions, they should be hanging a banner, right?

    So, when it the banner being raised?

    Accomplish something, THEN you can talk.

    Until then, you’re 13 seconds wide right with the Flutie Curse.

  50. This is actually outlawed now. Intentional holding is flagged as such and carries a 15-yard penalty and the game clock is reset on the next snap as they blow the play dead.

    ——————————
    lowercasejay says:
    January 25, 2022 at 3:44 pm
    With 13 seconds left, why not keep holding/tackling all receivers at the line of scrimmage and get 5 yard penalties until the clock runs out?

    —- this is genius.

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