Byron Young plays it cool on social media after getting away with blatant facemask penalty

Unfortunately, poor officiating is the main talking point of a thrilling, back-and-forth primetime affair between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. A glaring no-call cost the Vikings a chance to knot things up in the closing stages of their 30-20 loss to the Rams.

Los Angeles linebacker Byron Young got away with what looked to be an unmistakable facemask penalty on Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold. Instead of advancing the ball 15 yards and an automatic first down the road team, the play resulted in a safety, virtually ending the game. So, it was undoubtedly a consequential lapse in judgment by the referee, who was in the end zone watching it happen in real-time.

Ultimately, Young getting off easy secured the Rams their second straight victory and he knows it, especially if his social media activity is any indication.

Byron Young plays it cool on social media after getting away with a blatant facemask penalty in the Rams' TNF win over the Vikings

One user on X (formerly known as Twitter) caught Young red-handed, reacting to the penalty that never came. In response, the former third-round pick jokingly brushed off the freeze-frame shot, blaming his hand gestures on the noisy home crowd at SoFi Stadium.

"It was just so loud in there [I] had to cover up my ears, ya know," Young stated. Seemingly, the 26-year-old knows he and the Rams dodged a bullet. But rather than admitting to it after the fact, he's choosing to make light of the situation. And considering his squad benefitted from the obvious oversight, we can't blame him.

Per ESPN's Kevin Seifert, referee Tra Blake revealed after the contest that "no official had a clear view of the play." Because of this, a flag wasn't thrown, ultimately leading to the dagger in Minnesota's comeback hopes. While the Vikings marching down the field and scoring was far from a guarantee, they were stripped of the opportunity and faced a sudden 10-point deficit.

The Vikings and Rams gave us an exciting Thursday Night Football clash. Nonetheless, there was meat left on the bone, thanks to Young and the zebras.