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(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings fell to 3-3 on the 2025 NFL season after losing 28-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles on October 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Nonetheless, a moment in the game could have given the Vikings the victory.
Bill Vinovich’s crew initially awarded T.J. Hockenson a 15-yard touchdown on third-and-2 with 2:58 remaining. Nonetheless, in the NFL, all scoring plays are automatically reviewed, and that’s when the controversy came into the picture.
Early replays showed the ball might have shifted as Hockenson hit the ground, but league rules say the call on the field stands unless video shows clear, undeniable evidence to overturn it. While speaking to the media after the loss, Hockenson was livid over the referee’s decision.
“There was nothing to overturn it,” Hockenson said postgame (h/t Kevin Seifert of ESPN). “I mean, I was out there; I felt it, hands under the ball, snag it and I don’t understand; I don’t basically understand the catch rule at this point. … I don’t understand how New York can call in and just be like, ‘Yeah, that’s not a catch,’ when there was no evidence that it wasn’t; I mean I had it; I think it’s ridiculous.
“It is what it is. Got to move on other plays. … I mean you can’t go one for six [in the red zone] and win a ball game with two turnovers. We had the [opportunity] at the end, obviously. But yeah, tough one.”
Instant Replay Exec Sounds Off on Vikings
Despite the remarks from Hockenson, the vice president of instant replay, Mark Butterworth, said that the decision to overturn the touchdown was the correct call.
“The ruling on the field was a touchdown,” Butterworth said. “So it’s replay’s jurisdiction to stop the game. We used broadcast-enhanced shots to show that as he was going to the ground — he needs control of the ball throughout the process of the catch — he lost control of the ball. The ball hit the ground. Then, he regained control of the ball. So therefore, we overturned it to an incomplete pass.”
Vikings Couldn’t Overcome Controversial Call
If the touchdown had stood and the Vikings made the extra point, they would have trailed 28-26 with all three timeouts still in hand. Earlier in the game, they had several chances to capitalize but came up short, scoring just one touchdown on six trips to the red zone.
The Vikings also turned the ball over twice, including a costly interception that Eagles linebacker Jalyx Hunt returned 42 yards for a touchdown. It was one of two interceptions that veteran Carson Wentz committed in the loss to Philadelphia.
Despite the two picks, Wentz did pass for 313 yards and put the team in position to find the end zone. Nonetheless, that interception that went for a touchdown was a backbreaker for Minnesota.
As a result, it will be interesting to see what the Vikings will do under center for next week, whether they stick with Wentz or hand the job back to J.J. McCarthy, who will have another week of practice to determine whether he’s 100 percent and ready for live NFL action.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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