Shannon Sharpe didn’t waste time mincing words. The Hall of Fame tight end and fiery analyst lit into the NFL officiating crew on his post-game show, accusing them of a “rigged PI call” that swung the Philadelphia Eagles’ gritty 16-9 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. “That’s not P.I. That’s a play on. That’s a bulljive call,” Sharpe fumed, his voice rising as he dissected the pivotal moment with the precision of a veteran route-runner. The controversy erupted in the fourth quarter, with the Lions trailing 13-9 and sniffing midfield on 3rd-and-8, only for a 28-yard defensive pass interference flag on Rock Ya-Sin to gift Philly a fresh set of downs and the clock control they needed to seal the deal.

The play in question saw Jalen Hurts loft a pass to DeVonta Smith—not A.J. Brown, as some early reports misstated—near the sideline, where Ya-Sin and Smith tangled in what looked like mutual contact. Replays showed Smith extending an arm first, a detail that had broadcast analyst Cris Collinsworth immediately crying foul: “That’s offensive PI if anything. This crew just handed the Eagles the game.” Sharpe amplified the outrage, insisting the flag “robbed Detroit of a fair fight” and turned what could have been a shootout finale into a clock-milking field goal fest by Jake Elliott, who nailed his fourth of the night to make it 16-9.

Detroit’s frustration boiled over in the locker room. Head coach Dan Campbell, veins popping as he slammed his fist on the podium, called the call “the worst I’ve seen in 20 years” and demanded the league “fire the whole crew by morning.” Jared Goff, who struggled through a windy night with 18-of-35 for 142 yards and a tipped interception returned 21 yards by Cooper DeJean, added fuel: “We fought for every inch, but flags decided it.” The Lions went 0-for-4 on fourth downs, including a stuffed fake punt by Moro Ojomo, but Campbell pointed to the PI as the dagger that killed their comeback drive.

Eagles fans celebrated the 8-2 record and NFC lead, but even Philly’s defense—dominant with Jordan Davis’s two sacks and Nakobe Dean’s 11 tackles—couldn’t overshadow the stink. Nick Sirianni sidestepped the drama in his presser: “We earned it in the trenches, 34 minutes of possession don’t lie.” Yet Sharpe, no stranger to controversy, doubled down: “If that’s a flag, then every route’s a penalty. The NFL needs to fix this before it costs someone a playoff spot.” Social media exploded, with #RiggedForPhilly trending at 1.4 million posts, memes of refs in Eagles jerseys flooding timelines.

The bad calls didn’t stop at PI. Sharpe highlighted a missed low block on A.J. Brown in the second quarter and a false start on Lions guard Graham Glasgow that stalled a red-zone push. “Multiple bulljive moments,” he said, “tilted the field.” Broadcast metrics showed the game drew 28 million viewers, the highest Sunday Night rating since Week 1, but the controversy overshadowed Philly’s suffocating D, which held Detroit to 201 total yards and no touchdowns.

Adding insult to injury for Detroit, Campbell confirmed post-game that tight end Sam LaPorta is sidelined four weeks with a back strain, a massive blow for a 6-4 team clinging to the NFC North. “Sam’s our glue,” Goff said. “We’ll rally, but this loss stings extra.” LaPorta, with 38 catches for 412 yards this season, joins an injury list that includes tackle Taylor Decker (ankle, questionable) and safety Kerby Joseph (hamstring, day-to-day).

As the debate rages, NFL Senior VP of Officiating Perry Fewell issued a midnight statement: “We’re reviewing all plays from Eagles-Lions. Transparency is key.” Insiders whisper Alex Kemp’s crew faces suspension, a rare move midseason. Sharpe’s rant, already at 3.2 million views, has become the rallying cry for reform, with fans from neutral teams piling on: “If Sharpe’s mad, the league’s in trouble.”

In a season defined by parity and parity-killing whistles, this 16-9 rock fight stands as a cautionary tale. The Eagles fly high, but at what cost to the game’s integrity? Detroit licks its wounds, vowing vengeance. And Shannon Sharpe? He’s just getting started. “Fix it now,” he closed, “or the fans will tune out.” The NFL’s on notice—bulljive won’t fly forever.