Saints fans aren't letting referees get away with bogus roughing the passer penalty

The New Orleans Saints may have won on Sunday, but they aren't letting the officiating crew get away with a bad job calling the game. Several dubious penalties interrupted play throughout the afternoon, but no foul was worse than a phantom call against defensive end Carl Granderson for roughing the passer. Granderson beat the New York Giants' left tackle off the edge to crash down on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, untouched, and threw him to the turf for a sack. He didn't jump on Dart for emphasis or contact him helmet-to-helmet. It was a clean play, but the officials ruled it a foul, and it cost the Saints 15 yards.

"I saw a sack," head coach Kellen Moore told reporters when asked after the game, expressing how frustrating it is to coach a player a certain way, see him execute his assignment cleanly, and be punished for it.

He wasn't the only one. A lot of fans and members of the media covering the game criticized referee Alan Eck and his crew for fouling the play. If it had stood, Granderson would lead the NFL with 5.5 sacks right now. Instead, he's tied for third in a stat which directly impacts his livelihood.

Here are some of the reactions from around the NFL landscape on social media:

The roughing call on New Orleans just now is the worst I can recall. It was a sack. That’s it. Not allowed. Ridiculous.— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) October 5, 2025

Get out of here with this roughing call. Alan Eck is the worst pic.twitter.com/4eIlfygFw7— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 5, 2025

This is a clean sack by #Saints Carl Granderson. Terrible roughing the passer call by the same ref who took the deflection off the board by Kool-Aid McKinstry…which then lit Kool-Aid up. Let the game play out without this…#Saints fans still booing. pic.twitter.com/uksKhGQJd6— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 5, 2025

We might actually have the worst roughing-the-passer call in NFL history against Saints DE Carl Granderson on Giants QB Jaxson Dart. And I know that's a big statement. But geez.— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) October 5, 2025

tell me someone got the clip of that ridiculous roughing call on Carl Granderson https://t.co/FY93b6clLC— Michael Thomas Marques Colston (@ZoneReads) October 5, 2025

This might actually be the worst roughing call I’ve ever seen https://t.co/UKBk9M9uuU— Aligned RB (@RyB_311) October 5, 2025

That's such a BS call. Carl Granderson goes unblocked, doesn't put his body weight on him and doesn't hit his head. How is that roughing the passer?— Matthew Paras (@Matthew_Paras) October 5, 2025

The worst roughing the passer call in the history of the league lol https://t.co/kcEFW5wQcf— Eric Ray (@EricRayweather) October 5, 2025

No argument or debate, this is the worst roughing the passer call ever

It's not roughing the passer at all

It's a clear and clean sack by Granderson https://t.co/3fXGXsyyG4— ⚜️KBreezy72⚜️ (@KryptoKai72) October 5, 2025

This is 100% the worst roughing call in NFL history https://t.co/2m5xN08QYX— Patrick Netherton (@PTNetherton) October 5, 2025

The Saints may pull this game out, but that was a HORRENDOUS roughing the passer call on Carl Granderson. Textbook sack, exactly how you teach it, didn’t land on Jaxson Dart, should have ended the game immediately. FIRE THESE REFS.— Derek Clark (@TheRealD_C) October 5, 2025

That was the the worst roughing the passer call I’ve ever seen. The Superdome remains home to the worst calls in the @nfl. #saints#refs#nfl— Morgan Fayard (@morganfayard) October 5, 2025

The roughing the passing call on #Saints Granderson is the most egregious mistake I’ve seen this season in the NFL. What was he supposed to do? He didn’t lead with his helmet he didn’t make contact with the helmet, I’m not sure how that’s possibly a penalty. @NFLOfficiating— Lon from JZR (@lonjets) October 5, 2025

This is how the refs in #Giants vs #Saints wanted Granderson to sack Dart.

????????‍♂️

Fix the refs @NFLpic.twitter.com/RcoVGX7Wlr— The Wasted Talent™ (@NewRougeSton) October 5, 2025

Of all the horrible roughing the passer calls that we’ve seen over the years, the one just called on Carl Granderson is the worst. Gave HIM a penalty for the Giants OL not blocking— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) October 5, 2025

Refs can’t be serious with that roughing on Granderson— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) October 5, 2025

I just watched the Granderson penalty again and as far as sacks go, that was probably about as gentle as it gets, he also rolled away and didn't land on him. Maybe the officials thought their helmets touched? Don't get it.— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) October 5, 2025

I have no idea what Carl Granderson is supposed to do there.

Slow down?
Pull Dart's flag?— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) October 5, 2025

Someone at the League Office needs to give Granderson that Sack back. pic.twitter.com/NVIqYC95Aj— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) October 5, 2025

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Social media reactions to Carl Granderson roughing the passer penalty