DeSean Jackson's punt return TD could have been called back

DeSean Jackson's(notes) goal-line grandstanding could have caused his miraculous game-winning punt return to be wiped out, a review of FOX replays show.


As the Philadelphia Eagles return man was running parallel to the end zone, delaying his touchdown for maximum showboating effectiveness, a number of his teammates ran onto the field from the sideline, a clear violation of the NFL's "too many men on the field" rules.


The new wrinkle on Jackson's return was first noticed at BallHyped.com. Because he took a turn at the 6-yard line instead of running into the end zone, a number of his teammates and some coaches spilled out onto the field in anticipation of his touchdown, which didn't come until a few seconds later. A flag could have been thrown, bringing back the touchdown and sending the game to overtime.

Now, I don't think any flag should have been thrown on the play. The players weren't on the field before the snap nor during the runback. Their on-field exuberance had no effect on Jackson's touchdown. Sometimes officials need to look the other way, like a foul at the end of a basketball game. However, as BallHyped points out, this play came during the same week that the NFL made a huge deal about sideline behavior during punt returns, thanks to the dirty play of Jets strength coach Sal Alosi.

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