The phrase comes from a televised NFL game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets on September 28, 1986. Referee Ben Dreith flagged Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau, number 99, after a hit on quarterback Jim Kelly and announced that he was giving him the business down there. The unusual wording was replayed for years on sports blooper reels and talk shows, then found a second life online as a meme sound for fights and fouls, long after most viewers forgot the original play.
About this sound
Clip of the referee saying giving him the business from the famous NFL penalty call, used for fights, trash talk and funny sports moments online.
This is a short, punchy voice clip of an NFL referee delivering the now legendary phrase giving him the business during a penalty announcement. His delivery is completely serious and official, which is exactly what makes the line so funny, because the wording sounds more like street slang than a formal foul call. The clip is tight and instantly recognisable, cutting straight to the phrase with no build up. Played over a scuffle, a cheap shot or any petty fight, it turns an ordinary moment into a mock official ruling and gets an immediate laugh.