Broncos Legend Shannon Sharpe Exposes Series of Referee ‘Rigging Calls’ That Cost Eagles Their Game Against Denver

Posted October 6, 2025

Denver, CO – October 6, 2025

NFL legend Shannon Sharpe has ignited a firestorm after publicly criticizing the officiating crew for controversial calls that helped seal the Denver Broncos’ 21–17 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5.

The game ended in chaos as Eagles fans erupted over what they called a “robbery” by the refs. A missed penalty near the 5-yard line denied Philadelphia a final chance to score. The footage quickly went viral online, with many claiming the game was “rigged” to prevent the defending champions from winning.

In a surprising twist, Broncos legend Shannon Sharpe spoke out in defense of the Eagles — delivering a rare, honest take that sent shockwaves across the league.

“I’m happy the Broncos won, but the Eagles got screwed — that’s for sure,” Sharpe said. “I’m speaking up because if we ignore this today, someday it could happen to the Broncos in a bigger game. Today Denver won, but the Eagles played harder and deserved better.”

Sharpe’s words spread across social media within hours, earning millions of views. Eagles fans praised him as “the only legend with the guts to tell the truth,” while Broncos fans called his comments a sign of true sportsmanship.

Both ESPN and CBS Sports analyzed the controversial play, confirming that a defensive penalty was missed — one that could have given Philadelphia first-and-goal with seconds remaining. Experts agreed: had the call been made correctly, the Eagles likely would have won.

The Broncos now move to 3–2, while the Eagles suffer their first loss of the season at 4–1. But as Sharpe concluded, “Sometimes the score doesn’t tell the full story — how you win is what people will remember.”