NFL Officials Face Backlash Over Calls Against Browns

A home opener between the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers at Huntington Bank Field drew heavy backlash aimed at NFL officials after a first-half sequence loaded with penalties. The Browns received 10 flags for 74 yards in the opening half, including two disputed roughing-the-passer calls late in a Carolina drive. Fans questioned how defenders were expected to tackle Bryce Young, especially after a roughing penalty against defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. The NFL rule cited body-weight limits on hits to a passer in a defenseless posture. Despite the controversy, Cleveland held Carolina out of the end zone on that late possession.