Boomer Esiason Declares Christian McCaffrey’s TD in Super Bowl Should Not Have Counted

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San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey scored the only touchdown of the first half of Super Bowl LVIII when he hauled in a reception from teammate and wide receiver Jauan Jennings on a trick play in the second quarter.
McCaffrey caught the pass behind the line of scrimmage and scampered all the way to the end zone for the 21-yard score.
But one person believes the touchdown shouldn't have counted.
Before Usher took the stage for the halftime show, former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and CBS NFL analyst Boomer Esiason said that the officials missed an illegal man downfield for San Francisco, which he says should have nullified the McCaffrey touchdown.
CBS broadcaster and former NFL QB Boomer noted at halftime that 49ers C Jake Brendel should've been called for illegal man downfield on Christian McCaffrey's touchdown.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 12, 2024
San Francisco's TD should not have counted 🤔pic.twitter.com/RhaQVyIheX
"Jake Brendel, the center of the San Francisco 49ers, should have been called for an illegal man downfield. This touchdown should not have counted," Esiason said.
Esiason didn't provide any reason as to why he believed Brendel should be ineligible, though a touchdown-nullifying penalty would have made a low-scoring first half even more so.
It will be interesting to see if the postgame pool report mentions anything about the play.
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Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.