Nothing explains the NFL’s officiating problem better than the Green Bay Packers’ opening play against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Packers returner Keisean Nixon fumbled the kickoff, which was eventually recovered by Green Bay, clearly, based on the overhead shot. Because that overhead shot wasn’t available inside the stadium, though, only on the broadcast, the officials were unable to overturn the call on the field that the Eagles recovered the ball after a dogpile.

Now, the NFL fined the player who caused the fumble, former Packers draft pick Oren Burks, $8,333 for a helmet-to-helmet hit a week after the game. There was no penalty called on the play. If you’re an Eagles fan, you have to view that as money well spent.

The NFL fined #Eagles LB Oren Burks $8,333 for unnecessary roughness (use of helmet) — his hit on #Packers KR Keisean Nixon that caused a fumble on the opening kickoff last week.

No flag was thrown.

pic.twitter.com/TjFr5jmSbg

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 18, 2025

So a flag should have been thrown on a fumble that the Packers recovered. Instead, the Eagles were given the ball. A player is fined, but nothing is happening to the officials responsible for those two blown calls. On top of that, the league’s review system is still a joke.

I’m not mad. Please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad.