Pass interference in your end zone is a penalty that, by rule, results in 1st and Goal at the 1 yard line (egregious pass interference penalties can be spot fouls rather than just a flat 15 yards, but obviously you can't have a "spot" foul in the end zone. ) They can't give you the TD outright, but they give you four tries to get the nose of the ball over the line from just three feet of distance.

But, yeah, it sounds like the dude deserves a lengthy ban, because good coaches teach good pass defenders a very basic rule: A penalty resulting in a 99% certainty of a TD is STILL better than a catch resulting in a 100% certainty of a TD, so if you know dude's gonna catch it, make sure he doesn't and take the penalty. This time it was the difference in the playoffs of a global tournament held every four years, so there should be some pretty major consequences; it didn't just change the score, it changed the result of the game, the playoffs and, quite possibly the eventual world champion.