Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the league announced that it would be emphasizing sportsmanship in its officiating this year. While the league said it’d be cracking down on violent and sexually suggestive gestures concerning taunting calls this season. Fans have seen an uptick in taunting penalties in 2025 as players react to making plays against opponents.
There have been a few questionable calls this season with the referees contributing another in Week 15 as the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers clash for an NFC North battle on Saturday Night.
NFL Fans Blast Referees After Another ‘Weak’ Taunting Call in Bears vs. Packers
After losing quarterback Jordan Love to concussion protocol early on in the Week 15 matchup, the Packers had to turn to backup QB Malik Willis. While the fourth-year quarterback has stepped in a few times during his two seasons with Green Bay, there was no telling how he’d perform in the cold weather at Soldier Field.
He’s stepped in masterfully, completing nine of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, along with 10 carries for 44 yards. The bulk of his yards came on a beautiful 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Romeo Doubs. While the touchdown counted, fellow Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed made the extra point a bit longer as he received a taunting penalty.
Jayden Reed got a 15 yard taunting penalty for this pic.twitter.com/5UeGKtijFt
— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 21, 2025
After Doubs went into the end zone, Reed covered his mouth while pointing his other one at Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright, who was covering him on the play, waving it back and forth. Fans sounded off on social media with this X user posting, “That taunting call is so soft.”
That taunting call is so soft
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) December 21, 2025
Another fan couldn’t help but agree with him, posting, “Such a weak taunting call.” Another user responded, saying, “Heaven forbid a player celebrates in a high-stakes game against a division rival.”
Heaven forbid a player celebrates in a high stakes game against a division rival
— JasΩn DeWilkins Jr (@jdewilkinsjr) December 21, 2025
While you could argue that Reed directed the gesture at Wright, it does not seem to meet the violent or sexually suggestive criteria that the NFL outlined in the offseason. However, it does align with a comment from league executive Troy Vincent, who explained, “There’s no place in the game to be standing over your opponent. That’s not in the game of football. We just have to play by the rules, respect our opponent.”
MORE: 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
That’s where this emphasis has hit a snag for many fans, as standard opponent interactions have been drawing flags from the referees this season. Football is a physical game, and players are bound to show emotion. That emotion is pushed up a few notches in a rivalry as rich as the Packers vs. Bears. As this fan points out, “Calling taunting in a rivalry game should be banned. Fine the refs.”
However, another fan pointed out the hypocrisy of Reed getting one step closer to an ejection, while Bears defensive end Austin Booker knocked quarterback Jordan Love out of the game with a headshot and received no warning.
He explains, “Wait, hold up…so taunting he can get disqualified if one more personal foul, but Chicago’s dude [Booker] with two personal foul calls is fine?? Make it make sense, please…”
Wait, hold up… so taunting he can get disqualified if one more personal foul but Chicago’s dude with two personal foul roughing calls is fine??
Make it make sense please…
— Greg Meinholz (@gmeinholz) December 21, 2025
While the penalty backed Green Bay up 15 yards on the extra point attempt, kicker Brandon McManus was still able to bang the point after through the uprights. However, that wouldn’t stop an improbable fourth-quarter comeback by the Chicago Bears to send the game to overtime.
The Bears ended up winning the game, and the taunting call on Reed was just another example of how fans don’t seem to be in favor of the NFL’s 2025 officiating emphasis.
