Dave Portnoy explodes over ‘disgusting’ call that decided Jaguars-Bengals game

Dave Portnoy was fuming after the Jaguars’ crushing finish Sunday.

Taking to X after the Bengals escaped with a 31-27 win over Jacksonville, the Barstool Sports founder tore into the refs over their “ridiculous” decision to flag two-way Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter on a pass interference call late in the fourth quarter that ultimately swayed the game for Cincinnati.

“Let’s start by saying this, yes, I bet the Jags, yes, this was fourth-and-5 in the game, you call this pass interference with the game on the line?” Portnoy said.

“This is a ridiculous call, you can’t have refs determining a game,” Portnoy said.

The call in question occurred when Hunter, playing cornerback, knocked away a pass intended for Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosiva with Cincinnati down by three points.

The Jaguars were hit with a 25-yard penalty to give the Bengals a fresh set of downs at the Jaguars’ 42-yard line.

The Bengals, guided by backup quarterback Jake Browning, scored the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds remaining in regulation.

Portnoy lauded the “absolutely perfect defense” from Hunter, who also plays receiver, and lambasted the officials for the “disgusting” ruling.

“This is absolutely insane,” Portnoy said, “he looks back, deflects the ball away, he’s playing pattycake with his other hand. It’s how you teach it, this is how you teach it! Absolutely perfect defense from Travis Hunter, you throw a flag on fourth-and-5, this is disgusting, absolutely disgusting football!”

Portnoy then called for the referee’s suspension and said he’d be “boycotting” if he were a Jaguars fan.

Hunter, the team’s second overall pick in April’s NFL draft, spoke about the controversial moment postgame.

“I can’t leave it up to the ref; I just have to do my job and put myself in a better position,” he said, according to the Jaguars’ official website.

The loss dropped the Jaguars to 1-1, while the Bengals improved to 2-0.

Cincinnati is now tasked to move forward without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, who will need surgery after suffering what’s believed to be Grade 3 turf toe on Sunday.

He’s expected to be sidelined at least three months.