The Chicago Bears escaped with a hard-fought 27-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, but the game wasn’t without controversy.

Late in the fourth quarter, Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III took a heavy hit to the head from Buccaneers rookie Rueben Bain Jr., sending him face-first into the turf and causing a fumble. Tampa Bay recovered the ball and turned the takeaway into a touchdown to get back into the game.

Despite replays showing significant contact around Burden’s head, officials let the play go without a flag. That didn’t sit well with NFL fans, who were quick to question the no-call.

NFL Fans Furious Over Controversial No-Call on Luther Burden III

The no-call had a major impact on the game. Had Bain been flagged for unnecessary roughness, the Bears would have kept possession, Tampa Bay would have been hit with a 15-yard penalty, along with an automatic first down for Chicago.

Instead, the Bucs capitalized on the turnover and put together a touchdown drive to tie the game at 24-24.

Unsurprisingly, the decision not to penalize the hit didn’t sit well with fans, who quickly took to social media to voice their frustration.

“Refs tried their best to give the game to the Bucs,” one fan wrote while reacting to a video of the play.

A second fan argued that the no-call had a significant impact on the game, writing, “14-point swing on two objectively incorrect calls.”

“Clear and obvious helmet-to-helmet, but the refs don’t want us talking about that,” another commenter posted.

Another fan was just as frustrated, writing, “They don’t even try to hide it anymore. They know we all know… And they don’t care.”

“Yeah, the refs missed a lot tonight.. No flag, shaking my head,” one X user commented.

One frustrated fan simply wrote, “NFL is a joke.”

Another tagged the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, questioning the league’s officiating with a simple, “What are we doing here?”

Controversial Holding Call Wiped Out Bears’ 91-Yard Kickoff Return

The no-call on the Burden hit wasn’t the only officiating decision that frustrated Bears fans. Earlier in the third quarter, Chicago also had a potential game-changing play wiped out by a questionable holding penalty.

After Tampa Bay cut the lead to 17-13, Zavion Thomas returned the kickoff 91 yards from the Chicago 8-yard line to the Tampa Bay 1. However, D’Marco Jackson was called for holding, negating the return.

Slow-motion replays raised questions about the penalty, as Jackson appeared to make an open-palm block against the defender’s chest without grabbing his jersey. Instead of having first-and-goal, Chicago was pushed back to its own 20-yard line.

Despite the controversial calls, the Bears still managed to secure the win.

With the game tied 24-24 and time expiring, kicker Cairo Santos, who ranks No. 20 in the league with a PFN Kicker Impact Score of 72.6 through Week 9, drilled a 38-yard walk-off field goal to seal the 27-24 victory.