Former Super Bowl champion and five-time Pro Bowl Richard Sherman didn’t hold back on the officiating crew during the 49ers-Falcons Sunday Night Football matchup after a defensive pass interference call against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir in the first half.
The Falcons were facing a 2nd and 10 on Sunday Night Football. Michael Penix Jr. looked and threw deep along the sideline. Lenoir went for the interception and nearly had it, but couldn’t come down with the ball as the receiver forced it out of his hands. However, what followed was a controversial decision that left many fans divided.
What Did Richard Sherman Say About the Controversial Call During Falcons-49ers Matchup?
The play in question occurred with 7:58 remaining in the second quarter, as the Falcons led 3-0 and faced 2nd-and-10 from their own 34-yard line. Lenoir appeared to jump a route and nearly intercept quarterback Penix Jr.’s pass before being flagged for defensive pass interference.
The penalty moved the ball forward but ultimately did not change the drive’s outcome. Atlanta failed to gain a first down following the penalty and punted three plays later. Giving his take on the decision, the five-time All-Pro wrote:
“These DPI are awful today! @Dmo_lenoir almost Picked that and the WR pulled him down and they called it on him Smh,” Sherman posted on X during the second quarter.
These DPI are awful today! @Dmo_lenoir almost Picked that and the WR pulled him down and they called it on him Smh
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) October 20, 2025
Sherman, one of the league’s most vocal minds, has long been outspoken about pass-interference enforcement. His comments during the Falcons’ 20-10 defeat to the 49ers on Sunday reflect a broader perception among players that judgment calls have become inconsistent across games and crews.
Across several primetime matchups this year, fans and analysts have highlighted various questionable penalties seemingly every single game. Whether it’s for holding, roughing the passer, pass interference, as seen here, etc., week in and week out, fans, analysts, and players speak out against flagrantly poor officiating.
Many of these penalties or no-calls have also significantly affected the game’s outcome. The NFL has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding officiating accuracy and transparency. Since the league briefly allowed reviews of pass-interference calls in 2019, it has resisted reinstating replay challenges for such penalties, arguing that doing so slowed the game down and created more controversy than clarity.
But critics argue that the current system offers little recourse for teams affected by potentially game-altering decisions. Overall penalty totals are slightly up from last season, with a noticeable increase in defensive pass interference calls.
From a neutral standpoint, Sunday’s disputed DPI call had a limited impact on the scoreboard, yet it symbolizes the tension between human judgment and game-changing outcomes.
