Following a tightly contested first half, the Buffalo Bills have begun to distance themselves from the Denver Broncos in the first game of Sunday’s NFL playoff triple-header. The Bills, seeded No. 2, have surged ahead to a commanding 28-7 lead over the No. 7 seeded Broncos early in the fourth quarter.
In the midst of the third quarter, the CBS broadcast captured footage of referee Bill Vinovich engaged in a conversation with Bills quarterback Josh Allen. While the exact contents of their discussion remain undisclosed, commentators Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Tony Romo (color) speculated that it likely pertained to a potential defensive holding infraction in the end zone during the preceding drive.
“(Vinovich) trying to explain why there was a no-call in the back of the end zone,” Nantz remarked.
The interaction between Bill Vinovich and Josh Allen was documented in a brief clip shared by NFL on CBS on January 12, 2025, showing the two engaged in conversation.
The overlooked holding penalty resulted in the Bills settling for a field goal, extending their lead to 13-7. This incident involving Vinovich is not the first time the official has been at the center of controversy in the playoffs. One notable instance was his failure to call pass interference during the 2018 NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints. Following Super Bowl 53, the NFL Competition Committee acknowledged that Vinovich’s officiating crew had also missed a pass interference call.
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This piece was originally published by USA TODAY, highlighting the dialogue between the Bills’ Josh Allen and referee Bill Vinovich following a contentious no-call against the Broncos.
