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Jameis Winston pushes referee out of the way to try and snap the ball

With about five minutes left in the third quarter and Florida State and Boston College tied 17-17, Jameis Winston wanted to snap the ball quickly on second-and-4. But, as you can see in the below Vines, the referee looks to be holding the snap, frustrating Winston, who tries to shove him out of the way.

No penalty was called. But as the NFL’s former Vice President of Officiating and current rules analyst for FOX Sports Mike Pereira explains, the former Heisman Trophy winner should have been ejected.

After the first down play, the Seminoles made a substitution so the defense had the right to substitute as well, even in a hurry-up offense. The center judge, Michael Webster, was doing his job, standing behind the center putting his hand on Winston to keep him from snapping the ball. Winston came to the line of scrimmage and literally pushed Webster twice in an attempt to snap the ball. He did snap the ball, by the way, and completed a 7-yard pass to Dalvin Cook.

 

I’ve looked at this play several times, and in my opinion, Winston should have been penalized for shoving Webster not once, but twice. In fact, I feel he should have been ejected.

 

Contact with an official can clearly lead to an ejection.  Webster was doing his job, which was to hold the snap until the referee cleared him in this situation. Winston clearly pushes him out of the way so he can get the snap off.

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