Bills WR Khalil Shakir’s Game-Winning Touchdown Was Called Back and NFL Fans Were Mesmerized

The Buffalo wide receiver was at the center of a controversial play down the stretch in Saturday night’s win over Los Angeles.

The Buffalo Bills survived an upset bid on the road on Saturday night from the Easton Stick-led Los Angeles Chargers 24–22, thanks to a late-game 29-yard field goal from Buffalo’s Tyler Bass.

However, earlier on that game-winning drive, it appeared that Bills quarterback Josh Allen connected with wide receiver Khalil Shakir for a 28-yard touchdown pass.

Big play by Khalil Shakir!#BUFvsLAC on Peacock
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/eeNRIfK0VS pic.twitter.com/42B4JZJAOr

— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2023

On third-and-4 from the Chargers 28-yard line, Allen took the shotgun snap, rolled out to his right and threw a dart to Shakir, who went to the ground at the 12 to catch the pass. 

Los Angeles safety Jaylinn Hawkins sprinted over to try to initiate contact with Shakir while he was on the ground, but it appeared that Shakir got up off the ground prior to being touched and sprinted toward the end zone for a touchdown.

However, after a booth review, the officials determined that Shakir was down by contact at the 12. The Bills eventually settled for the decisive field goal.

NFL fans couldn’t believe the call was reversed. Here are some of the best reactions to the play from social media:

Don't see contact of the ball with ground, and no one touched him til he was standing up (knees up), so believe the play's still live.@CMC_22 had a moment like this last week: Lost footing with the ball, landed on forearm, stood up & ran without defense ever touching him.

— Tim Wood (@livecut) December 24, 2023

It looks like the defender literally had Khalil Shakir down by a pinky pic.twitter.com/PlesRID5x8

— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) December 24, 2023