NFL referee Carl Paganelli was on the receiving end of an errant punch from New York Jets (4-7) defensive lineman Micheal Clemons Friday which left him bloodied. Unfortunately for Paganelli, breaking up any potential fights is part of the job. And when emotions boil over, sometimes fists fly, as they did during the fourth quarter of the Miami Dolphins’ (8-3) 34-13 Week 12 victory over the Jets.
Both teams got into a scuffle after Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders nailed an extra point to give the Dolphins a 27-6 lead. Clemons, appearing to attempt to hit Dolphins offensive lineman Lester Cotton, landed his jab on Paganelli’s mouth.
Paganelli proved to be a tough cookie, staying on his feet and spitting out blood in something you’d see in a Rocky movie.
While Paganelli continued on, Clemons did not. The 26-year-old was flagged for making contact with an official and subsequently ejected from the game. Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson also had an early exit, and Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley received an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Clemons, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, entered the game having recorded 15 tackles (11 solo) and zero sacks this season. In 16 games last season, he tallied 36 tackles (22 solo), 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits.
Dolphins blowout Jets, lose key player to injury
While the Dolphins walked away as winners, not everything went as planned. Standout linebacker Jaelan Phillips was carted off the field with an apparent lower leg injury during the fourth quarter. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Phillips suffered a non-contact Achilles injury.
The injury occurred in the fourth quarter with the Dolphins holding a 27-6 lead over the Jets. As Phillips took off from the line of scrimmage, you can see a ripple in his calf — typically a sign of a torn Achilles. Should further evaluation prove this to be the case, Phillips’ 2023 season will be over.
Phillips was in the midst of one of his best games of the season, tallying four tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and two quarterback hits. Phillips, 24, is in his third season after the Dolphins selected him with the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Miami. In eight games this season, he has recorded 6.5 sacks, 42 tackles (26 solo), nine quarterback hits and one interception. In the two seasons prior, he totaled 15.5 sacks, 103 tackles (60 solo) and 41 quarterback hits. The loss of Phillips is a big one for the Dolphins, who are among the best teams in the AFC.
More must-reads: