Seahawks Insider: TD-nullifying penalty was news to Cliff Avril

GREEN BAY, Wisc. – Cliff Avril had no idea that he was the one flagged for the penalty that cost Seattle a first-quarter touchdown.

Not until he was talking to cornerback Richard Sherman, who brought up the penalty on Avril, which nullified Nazair Jones’ 74-yard interception return for a touchdown in the sixth minute of the game.

“It was like the second or third quarter where Sherm was like, ‘Man, that was a crazy call they called on you,’” Avril said. “I was like, ‘What call?’”

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The block in the back on quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Cliff. You know, that one that erased what would have been the game’s first touchdown and instead gave the Seahawks the ball at the 50.

“I was surprised,” Avril said of his reaction, “but then again I’m not surprised. Aaron Rodgers. They try to protect their quarterbacks, but I don’t even think he fell to the ground. That’s funny, but you know, it is what it is.”

Coach Pete Carroll was asked after the game if the penalty was legitimate given that it appeared Jones had already run by Rodgers, who indeed did not fall down after the shove.

“Didn’t have to do it,” Carroll said. “Shouldn’t even have done it. The call being legit? I don’t know. You saw it. I haven’t seen it other than live so I can’t tell you, but we didn’t need to make the block. I know that.”

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