Pat Sajak appeared to catch viewers completely off guard when he made a surprising comment immediately after contestant Jerome solved the puzzle “Fresh Fallen Snow Cones.” “Fresh fallen chicken wings would be better,” Sajak joked — a remark that sounded bizarrely out of place until fans realized it was apparently a callback to Jerome’s earlier story about spending years perfecting his father’s chicken-wing recipe

PAT Sajak has ruffled fans’ feathers with a side comment that sounded worse than intended since it had no context on Monday’s episode.

The longtime host, 77, told Jerome that a puzzle he solved would have been better if it involved “chicken wings.”

The Washington Courthouse, Ohio, father-of-six was on his A-game with various impressive puzzle solves during the Wheel of Fortune episode.

Jerome rang in to solve one puzzle under “Before and After” that read: “FRES_ F_ _ _EN SN_ _ C_ _ NE_”

He impressively got it correct, announcing: “Fresh fallen snow cones.”

Pat then joked to him: “Fresh fallen chicken wings would be better.”

FANS REACT: ‘AWKWARD MOMENT…’

Jerome also revealed in his interview that he’s been “trying to perfect” his father’s chicken wing recipe “for the last 20 years.”

So Pat’s joke seemed to be a callback, but he didn’t do himself any favors because he didn’t make as much clear.

Fans took to X, cringing over how it sounded since Pat didn’t make it known he was referencing the earlier story.

One fan posted: “Watching Wheel of Fortune Player Jerome finishes the board.

“Board: ‘Fresh Fallen Snow Cones.’ Pat Sajack: ‘Fresh Fallen Chicken Wings would be better’…..DaF*k?”

Another user replied to them: “Right?? I had to rewind.”

A third wrote: “That was an awkward moment on Wheel of Fortune lol.”

After several more impressive solves, Jerome went to the bonus round with a trip to Switzerland and $19499.

He chose “What are you doing? As his puzzle category, his wife and two of his children sweetly waved offstage.

He chose a “GHCA” as his additional letters, which joined the given “RSTLNE” to form “_ _ _NG R_GHT AL_NG.”

The ten-second timer began, or as Pat joked: “Ten seconds to wipe that grin off your face,” as he clearly knew it.

Jerome solved it right away as “Moving right along,” grinning the entire time.

He won an extra $40K for $59499 total as Pat rushed off stage and the game show player celebrated with his family.

“Jerome on Wheel of Fortune going TF off,” another fan celebrated on X.

“I would have sang (badly) the final Wheel of Fortune puzzle of Moving Right Along,” wrote a second.

“Jerome on Wheel of Fortune snapping!” applauded a third.