New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs was involved in a contentious incident in the fourth quarter of their Super Bowl 60 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks’ defense dominated the game. Seattle amassed a 19-0 lead by the early stages of the fourth quarter. It wasn’t until the 12:26 mark of the final frame that the Patriots finally got on the board.
Drake Maye found Mack Hollins for a 35-yard touchdown. New England cut Seattle’s lead down to 19-7 after the extra point.
There was no shortage of action throughout the game. Tempers flared in the fourth quarter, and it was Diggs who was at the center of a controversial moment.
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Diggs had been going at it with Patriots cornerback Josh Jobe for pretty much the entire game. At one point in the fourth quarter, Jobe blindsided Diggs after the latter had already gone out of bounds. Diggs did not appreciate the hit, and he immediately confronted the Seahawks CB.
Jobe refused to back down from the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. In fact, Jobe threw a punch at Diggs’ helmet. The punch made contact as the two players were being separated by teammates and a game official. The referee, however, appeared to have missed the punch. No penalty was called during the incident.
The NFL has strict guidelines for unsportsmanlike conduct. Punching is a prohibited act. According to Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 of the NFL rulebook, “throwing a punch, or a forearm, or kicking at an opponent, even though no contact is made” is considered unsportsmanlike conduct.
While these violations usually carry an automatic 15-yard penalty during games, Jobe’s punch was not flagged during the play. Nevertheless, the Seahawks CB isn’t off the hook just yet.
The NFL Officiating Department reviews every play in every game, and this particular incident will draw extra attention. Per the rulebook, unsportsmanlike conduct may be fined $14,491 for a first offense and $20,288 for a second.
For context, Jobe has not been fined for unsportsmanlike conduct in his four years in the NFL. In 2024, he was fined $5,472 for a blindside block. Jobe will now need to wait for the NFL’s decision on his incident, which will be announced via the gameday accountability report.
The Seahawks are well on their way to winning Super Bowl 60. As of writing, Seattle is up, 29-7, with 2:28 remaining in the game.