NFL fines Chazz Surratt for tripping on Jets’ game-winning punt return touchdown

The referees did not see a penalty on the Jets’ winning touchdown in overtime Monday night. The league’s disciplinary department did.

Jets linebacker Chazz Surratt was fined $4,833 for tripping Bills tight end Quintin Morris on Xavier Gipson’s winning punt return.

Former NFL referee John Parry said on the ESPN broadcast that Surratt should have been marked. If it had been, the penalty would have wiped the touchdown off the board and moved the Jets to the 42-yard line. There is no guarantee the Jets would have scored from there. The Bills could have won the game if the penalty had been called.

Still, it was the kind of decision that could have easily gone either way, not exactly the kind of blatantly obvious losing decision that tends to irritate fans. Bills fans aren’t happy about the lack of a flag on the play, but in the chaos of the final play’s dramatic punt return, it’s no surprise the referees didn’t see enough to call it off.