The Washington Commanders suffered a tough yet exciting 24-22 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles in one of the top matchups of NFL Week 1, but a specific moment drew major attention: a penalty committed by Stefon Diggs.
Diggs scored a big touchdown with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter to cut the Eagles’ lead to 17-15. After completing the 12-yard pass from Jayden Daniels, Diggs hugged the goalpost to celebrate before landing on his back.
After the game, Diggs acknowledged his lapse in judgment. “I take full accountability,” Diggs said, as quoted by The Washington Post’s Tashan Reed. The NFL disallowed hugging, jumping on, and dunking over the goalpost in 2014.
What Diggs’ penalty cost the matchup
The 32-year-old wide receiver was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, resulting in a 15-yard penalty for the Commanders. The infraction proved costly, as Washington was forced to kick an extra point instead of attempting a two-point conversion.
Stefon Diggs of Washington Commanders.
According to a report by ESPN’s John Keim, head coach Dan Quinn said the team would have gone for two if Diggs hadn’t committed the foul. For his part, the four-time Pro Bowl selection declared that he “forgot” the rule.
Quinn’s change of plans
Head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that he planned to go for two after the touchdown. “Yeah, we were going to go for two,” Quinn said during his press conference.
When asked what he said to Diggs about the penalty, Quinn responded: “I did have a conversation with him about that. He’s a real competitor. He knows better in that space, and he knows that. So we did talk about that in that spot. I love his fight. I love what he stands for, but as the competitor, he knows better in that spot.”
Diggs’ mistake did not cost Washington the game. The Commanders had another chance later after Daniels tossed his second touchdown pass of the quarter, but failed on the two-point attempt.
