Sam Darnold was hit while sliding in the first quarter during the Seattle Seahawks’ 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. But no flag was thrown, and referee Shawn Smith stood by the call while speaking with pool reporter Brady Henderson of ESPN.

During the interview, Smith defended three controversial decisions that all went against Seattle. Several fans pushed back after Smith’s explanation for the questionable no-call.

NFL Fans Push Back as Ref Shawn Smith Explains Questionable Calls in Bears-Seahawks

The questions started with Seattle’s opening possession, when Tory Horton was hit on third-and-5 from the Seattle 37, and no flag was thrown.

Smith was asked about three plays: the hit on Horton, the hit on Darnold while he slid later in the first quarter, and the offensive pass interference penalty on Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the third quarter.

With Chicago up 7-0 in the first quarter, Darnold scrambled on third-and-8 from the Seattle 31. Bears linebacker Devin Bush hit him as he slid. After the no-call, the Seahawks punted.

“He was scrambling and became a runner. We didn’t see any contact to his head and neck area when he hit the ground,” he explained. “Once he gave himself up, we didn’t see that on the field.”

Pressed on whether a defender can hit a sliding player at all if he stays away from the head and neck, Smith said, “The defender committed, and he made contact. So, the runner becomes defenseless once he starts to slide and he can’t be hit in the head or neck area.”

When asked whether he was saying Darnold slid late, Smith replied, “No, I did not say that.” Regarding whether a sliding quarterback is typically protected, Smith said, “He is protected from getting hit in the head or neck area, or getting hit late.”

Darnold went 17-of-34 for 188 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception in Seattle’s loss at Lumen Field in Week 8.

Meanwhile, the Smith-Njigba flag came with the game still within reach. Seattle trailed 20-9 on a drive that began late in the third quarter, and the call wiped out a Darnold completion to its star receiver.

The catch would have meant a first down inside the Chicago 2-yard line, where a touchdown would have made it a one-score game. Instead, Jason Myers’ field goal try was blocked, and the Seahawks came away with nothing.

“We had the receiver with a full extension in the chest of the defender,” Smith explained. “His elbow locked, and that’s kind of what we look for, that we get a full extension.”

After Smith’s explanations went viral, fans had plenty to say.

“I want a full investigation,” Seattle sports radio host Dave ‘Softy’ Mahler said.

“So what I’m hearing is that if the NFL reviews these and disagrees, then Shawn Smith will lose all credibility as an official, right?” one fan asked.

Seahawks senior reporter John Boyle called out the answer about the Darnold no-call.

“Sam Darnold’s head might disagree with that ‘no contact to the head or neck area’ part,” he wrote.

Josh Hite, a researcher for The Hawks Eye Podcast, was blunt: “Sounds like a lot of excuses, personally.”

Another fan added: “Grade this guy an F.”

One fan put the onus on the league: “The NFL should want better for their product, this is nasty work.”

The 34-17 loss dropped the Seahawks to 4-4, and they have now dropped three of their last four games. The three plays that Smith addressed were not Seattle’s only trouble. Seattle converted just 1-of-11 third downs, scored one touchdown on four red-zone trips, and saw Darnold sacked three times.

PFN’s NFL QB Impact Score gave Darnold a 68.6 grade for the Week 8 game, which ranked 21st of 28 eligible quarterbacks last week.