Josh Allen gets helmet grabbed, but officials fail to call penalty against Ravens
Baltimore linebacker comes under fire after a play went viral on social media, sparking criticism over the lack of a penalty.
On Sunday, November 1, the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens faced off at Highmark Stadium in Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season. J osh Allen's team came away with a dominant 36-10 victory, but one of the game's most talked-about moments had little to do with the final score . A play involving Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith and Buffalo's quarterback was caught on video and, after going viral on social media, sparked widespread criticism of Smith and raised questions about the officials' decision not to throw a flag.
Roquan Smith grabs Josh Allen's helmet during a goal-line play
The incident happened as Buffalo attempted to reach the end zone on a quarterback sneak. Allen tried to push forward with the ball through the middle of Baltimore's defensive line, but amid the battle at the line of scrimmage, Smith grabbed the facemask of his helmet and made a twisting motion that turned the quarterback's head .
Allen managed to complete the touchdown, but the contact did not go unnoticed.
Smith had already been fined by the NFL earlier this season for a similar incident.
During Week 2, the linebacker was involved in a nearly identical play against New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. On that occasion, officials also failed to call a penalty during the game. However, after reviewing the footage, the NFL fined Smith $11,941 for grabbing his opponent's facemask .
Now, with footage of the incident involving Josh Allen circulating widely and comparisons being drawn to his previous fine, Roquan Smith is once again facing scrutiny. The question now is whether the NFL will determine that the contact warrants further disciplinary action .
