Sometimes a reference can go right over the head of someone and that’s what appeared to happen during Sunday’s Fox broadcast of the Vikings and Seahawks game.
Broadcast partners Mark Sanchez and Adam Amin were breaking down a close spot on a run by Aaron Jones, which was ruled a first down after the chain gang was called out to spot the ball.
That’s when Sanchez, a former Jets quarterback, name-dropped CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore, setting up an awkwardly hilarious exchange between Sanchez and Amin.
“Not by much, maybe by an index card,” Amin said. “That’s a first down.”
“Where is Gene Steratore when you need him?” said Sanchez.
“I’ll take Pereira and Blandino,” Amin quickly said.
“Oh yeah, sorry,” Sanchez said, realizing his blunder.
“We respect all networks here, you know that,” Amin said while Sanchez laughed.
Amin was referring to Mike Pereira and Dean Blandino during the exchange as they are the two rules analysts that Fox employs for its NFL broadcasts.
But what Amin didn’t seem to pick up on was the reference that Sanchez was making by shouting out Steratore.
Back in 2017, when Steratore was still an NFL referee, he used an index card to help measure the distance between the tip of the ball and the first down marker during a game between the Cowboys and the then-Oakland Raiders.
The moment was an odd one in football lore and Steratore told a pool reporter at the time that he was only using the card to reaffirm what he had seen with his eyes.
“The ball was touching the pole,” Steratore said, per ESPN. “I put the card in there and as soon as it touched, it was nothing more than a reaffirmation. The decision was made based on my visual from the top looking down and the ball touching the front of the pole.”