Falcons head coach Raheem Morris publicly accused the Patriots defense of illegally simulating his team\u2019s snap count by clapping during a critical fourth-quarter play of Sunday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
Morris said the incident occurred when the Falcons trailed 24-23 and were positioned at the Patriots\u2019 48-yard line with 2:09 remaining.<\/p>\n
According to Morris, the Patriots clapped to mimic the signal for the snap, prompting the Falcons\u2019 center to snap the ball early, leading to an intentional grounding penalty on Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey were clapping and simulated our snap,\u201d Morris told reporters. \u201cThat\u2019s why the ball got snapped early and Mike wasn\u2019t ready for the snap.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Penix Jr. throws a pass on the run during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on November 2, 2025. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Penix also weighed in on the controversy. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever I\u2019m clapping, that means I want the ball, and [Neuzil] said he heard them clapping [and] he thought it was my clapping. He snapped the ball, I threw the ball in [Pitts\u2019] direction. He had just released on routes. I thought I was going to be OK with the grounding part, but obviously that wasn\u2019t the case.\u201d<\/p>\n
The play effectively ended the Falcons\u2019 chance to tie or take the lead, with the penalty pushing them back into a punt.<\/p>\n
The final score remained 24-23 for a Patriots victory.<\/p>\n
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels celebrate on the sidelines. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Raheem Morris looks on against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on November 2, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Getty Images<\/p>\n
According to NFL rules, a defense simulating the offense\u2019s snap count is a 15-yard penalty categorized under \u201cdisconcerting signals,\u201d though such calls are rare due to the difficulty of determining intent or timing in live play.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n