NFL broadcasters Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen may have invented a new penalty with the perfect call on an unusual play Sunday.
Fox’s No. 1 booth had the call for the matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers, and the two had to think on the fly on how to handle a play they had never seen before.
On a third and 19, Cowboys receiver Brandin Cooks was tackled short of the sticks by Panthers defensive back Xavier Woods. But in the process, Woods committed not one, but two penalties. With one hand, he grabbed Cooks’s facemask. And with the other, Woods pulled down Cooks with a horse collar tackle. The referee called both fouls, and Burkhardt and Olsen nailed the analysis afterward.
Kevin Burkhardt: "So officially a horse-mask, on Xavier Woods."
Greg Olsen: "You know how they have like, scorigamis? I'm not sure if I've ever seen simultaneous facemask horse-collar called on the same guy at the exact same time. That might be a first."pic.twitter.com/JdH10vwQ6j
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 19, 2023
“You know how they have like, scorigamis?” Olsen said. “I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen simultaneous facemask horse-collar called on the same guy at the exact same time. That might be a first.”
Burkhardt also nailed the once-in-a-lifetime moment, referring to the play as a “horse-mask” penalty.
For a play to be new to Olsen, who played 14 seasons in the NFL before launching his broadcasting career, it must be rare. But fans loved the duo’s ability to think on the fly and wind up with a spot-on call for a unique moment.
Legit might be the highlight of the Panthers season.
"Remember that time that dude face masked AND horse collared that guy?? Crazy." https://t.co/zC9280OAMh
— Hayes Permar (@DHPIV) November 20, 2023
horse-mask or face-collar? 🤔 https://t.co/ftWevjeGav
— Aaron (@avelarde2) November 19, 2023
Might as well go all in, I suppose https://t.co/Clfr19f7cv
— Joel Gasson (@JGasson_21) November 19, 2023
never seen a player commit a separate foul with each hand on the same play before
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) November 19, 2023
@thetomska https://t.co/BFLOL9J1KC pic.twitter.com/x484TBnyCZ
— Just call me Jay (@JAlexFerrans) November 19, 2023