FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It was a close game — until one clap changed everything.
In a fiery postgame moment, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris accused the New England Patriots of illegally simulating the snap count before a costly penalty derailed Atlanta’s late-game drive.
The controversy erupted midway through the fourth quarter, with the Falcons trailing by just three. On a critical third down, New England’s defensive front appeared to clap just before the snap — a move that caused confusion on the Falcons’ offensive line. The result? A false start penalty that backed Atlanta up five yards and killed their momentum.
Morris didn’t hold back afterward.
“You can’t clap on defense to simulate the snap — that’s illegal,” he told reporters. “We pointed it out, and it wasn’t called until it hurt us. That’s frustrating.”
According to the NFL rulebook, defensive players cannot simulate offensive signals — including vocal cadence or physical motions — that could cause a false start. A violation results in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
But on this occasion, no flag was thrown on the Patriots. Instead, the Falcons were hit with the penalty.
Fans and analysts immediately lit up social media, with slow-motion replays appearing to show a Patriots defender clearly clapping before the ball was snapped. “That’s textbook simulation,” one analyst tweeted. “How did they miss that?”
Even Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, when asked about the controversy, sidestepped the issue.
“I didn’t see it,” he said with a grin. “We just play through the whistle.”
The moment became the defining turning point in the game — New England capitalized on the mistake, driving downfield for a decisive touchdown that sealed the win.
For the Falcons, it was another painful lesson in composure and officiating luck.
Morris ended his press conference on a heated note:
“We’ll send it to the league. Let’s see what they say Monday.”
🔥 A single clap — and a single call — might just echo all week across the NFL.
#Falcons #Patriots #NFLControversy #RaheemMorris #NFL2025 #NewEnglandPatriots
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