Is this a sign of things to come from NFL officiating?
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Mike Pennel Jr. was ejected on Monday for an illegal blindside block against the New England Patriots. The penalty was textbook, but the ejection came as a surprise.
The play took place late in Chicago's 33-14 win. With the Patriots facing second-and-20, quarterback Bailey Zappe threw a pass over the middle. It was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Bears linebacker Roquan Smith. As Smith returned the interception, Pennel leveled Patriots center David Andrews with a blindside block.
Another takeaway for the defense! 😈
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
📺: #CHIvsNE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mFqiwBDm2B
Here's another angle.
— highlight heaven (@lowdarkhell) October 25, 2022
Again, that's clearly a penalty. But an ejection? That's generally not cause for disqualification in the NFL. Officials didn't explain the ejection in real time. They didn't even announce it. But Pennel was indeed ejected and left the field without incident.
Andrews, meanwhile, was left woozy after the hit and needed help off the field. The back of his head bounced off the turf, not unlike Tua Tagovailoa's against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. The Patriots later announced that Andrews was being evaluated for a head injury.
Should we expect more ejections moving forward as the league emphasizes limiting head injuries? And is their further punishment in store for Pennel?
