Former NFL referee Terry McAulay says Christian McCaffrey’s game-sealing touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons should not have counted due to teammates pulling him. The 49ers’ star running back shouldered the team’s offensive output in the win over the Falcons on Sunday night. But the game-sealing touchdown was controversial, with McAulay joining the ‘Sunday Night Football’ broadcast to voice his concerns. Referees signaled a touchdown as McCaffrey celebrated, but video replay showed multiple teammates pulling him into the end zone. McAulay, a rules analyst with NBC, stated, ‘It’s illegal to lift or pull the runner in any direction,’ and that the play should have been a foul for helping the runner, resulting in a 10-yard penalty from the spot of the foul.
If the penalty had been called, not only would the touchdown not stand, but the 49ers would’ve had to move significant yardage backward. This play had the potential to be a game-changing moment for the Falcons, but they were forced to play catch-up with little time left. The specific penalty, however, is rarely called, with the last instance occurring in a playoff game in January 1991. Despite the controversy, McCaffrey had a standout night with 24 carries for 129 yards, two rushing scores, and seven catches for 72 yards, helping the 49ers improve to 5-2 in the first seven games of the season.