NFL Admits Refs Were Wrong on Controversial Call Late in Broncos-Rams, Per Sean McVay

The latest controversial officiating moment in the NFL came during Sunday Night Football, when a pass interference call helped the Broncos earn a 30–26 comeback win over the Rams.

In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, the Rams were leading the Broncos 26–23 as Denver looked to retake the lead. The Broncs trailed the Rams 16–0 at the half, but pulled off a second half comeback to even the score. The Rams went up again, and Bo Nix and the Broncos began driving down the field to respond.

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On a third-and-6 in the red zone, Nix threw toward Broncos receiver Pat Bryant near the right sideline. The pass was intercepted by Rams corner Josh Wallace, but Wallace was called for pass interference, giving the Broncos a first down and new life.

The call was controversial because Wallace did not appear to illegally interfere with Bryant on the play. If anything, it seemed that Bryant might have committed offensive pass interference. Wallace was flagged, however, and the Broncos went on to score what would be the game-winning touchdown six plays later to go up 30–26. The Rams got the ball back with 47 seconds, but ran out of time before they could come up with a go-ahead touchdown of their own.

Josh Wallace called for DPI against Pat Bryantpic.twitter.com/8QJQNT46Lg
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 28, 2026

Three days later, it appears the Rams are vindicated in their outrage for that costly pass interference call. Coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that the NFL told him Wallace should not have been called for that PI flag, per Nate Atkins of The Athletic.

The decision, of course, was a costly one. Had the interception stood, the Broncos would have come away from that drive with no points and the Rams would have gotten the chance to close out the game and earn the win. Instead, the opposite happened, and the Rams departed Mile High Stadium 1–2 while the Broncos moved to 2–1 on the season.

Bryant said of the call to Romi Bean of CBS Colorado, “It was a little pass interference, I did sell it just enough to get the flag. He definitely gave me a little nudge that I felt, I felt like I couldn’t get the ball so it was either the ball or the call and we ended up with the call. He definitely gave me a shove.”

Don’t worry guys, I asked Pat Bryant: pic.twitter.com/3i46wA0yQP
— Romi Bean (@Romi_Bean) September 29, 2026

The call notably took place in a game featuring McVay and Broncos coach Sean Payton. Nearly eight years ago when Payton was still the Saints’ coach, the two faced off in the NFC championship game and McVay’s Rams came away with the win in large part thanks to a potential pass interference that was controversially not called. The Rams advanced to the Super Bowl, where they fell to the Patriots. This game, of course, does not hold the stakes of an NFC title game, but Payton is on the beneficiary side of a controversial call this time around.

As always, though, a team never loses a game because of one call. McVay acknowledged as much earlier in the week, saying, “We’re not going to play the victim,” per Atkins.

The Rams did commit costly penalties outside of that pass interference call. They allowed the Broncos to seamlessly erase a 16-point lead. Matthew Stafford threw a pick-six that helped bring them back too. They’ll look to rebound from those mistakes this Sunday, when they take on the Eagles in Philadelphia.

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