Overview
- Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted Sam Darnold late in the fourth quarter and stiff-armed Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of bounds, knocking off the receiver’s helmet.
- Momentum carried both players to the Houston bench, where pushing and shoving broke out between Texans and Seahawks players.
- Referee Nate Jones wedged himself between Smith-Njigba and Texans players to protect the helmetless receiver, drawing widespread praise after footage circulated online.
- Stingley was penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness following the interception, affecting Houston’s field position.
- Smith-Njigba said he felt comfortable on the Texans’ sideline and praised the brief exchange with the official, finishing with eight catches for 123 yards and a touchdown to reach a league-leading 819 receiving yards through seven weeks.