Chiefs-Ravens Referee Suffers Multiple Voice Cracks While Announcing Penalties

The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens were locked in a tight battle in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday when absolute disaster struck one of the referees. The Ravens were down 17-7 in the last five minutes of the third quarter and were attempting to make a game out of it by driving down the field for a score, a tall task against this Chiefs defense. Baltimore was hindered by their own offensive lineman in the process; guard John Emerson was flagged for holding on a Lamar Jackson incompletion to Mark Andrews.

The referee went to announce the penalty and suffered quite a noticeable voice crack in the middle of his moment in the sun. Like a trooper, though, he powered through it.

Happens to the best of us. Unfortunately it happened again shortly thereafter. This time he was announcing a taunting penalty on Zay Flowers following a huge Ravens gain.

That one was worse, too. But again–not a flicker of recognition as he spoke. A true professional. Shades of Sean McDonough in the Monday Night Football booth.

Points to him for getting through it. We didn’t hear much of his voice in the first half but the second half has brought with it a deluge of penalties, both warranted and not so much. Hopefully someone gets this man some honeyed tea during a break. With things coming down to the wire he won’t want to crack if he has to make a big call in the biggest moment.