It seems like nearly the entirety of the football-watching world thinks that Brad Allen’s officiating crew blew the call at the end of the Lions-Cowboys game last weekend.
But the NFL disagrees.
Controversy erupted last Saturday night as the Lions appeared to score the go-ahead 2-point conversion against the Cowboys on a play where offensive lineman Taylor Decker caught a pass from QB Jared Goff. But an illegal touching penalty nullified the play, and the Lions failed on two more 2-point attempts.
The video seemed to show Decker, #68, and swing tackle Dan Skipper, #70, reporting to Brad Allen.
so who didn’t report then? pic.twitter.com/5U1sB2kLXk
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 31, 2023
The league sent all 32 teams using footage of the incident along with a message from Senior VP of Officiating Walt Coleman, reminding teams of the proper procedure for reporting.
“To allow the defense an opportunity to match personnel to avoid deception and to ensure fairness, the player must immediately report the change in his eligibility status to the referee, who will inform the defensive team and will make an announcement to the stadium before that play,” Anderson said in the video. “It is the responsibility of the player to be sure that change in status is clearly communicated to the referee by both a physical signal with his hands up and down in front of his chest and to report to the referee his intention to report as an eligible receiver.”
The #Lions are trying to run interference to make the #Cowboys think Skipper is running onto the field and reporting when in reality it’s Decker. Slow mo replay showed Skipper saying, “I didn’t say a f—ing word!” Clearly planned and practiced. Brad Allen announced Skipper though. https://t.co/Flos1flGhr
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 31, 2023
Allen announced Skipper as the eligible receiver. Decker was called for illegal touching since he was considered an ineligible receiver.
In his Monday press conference, Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted that he deliberately tried to confuse the Cowboys by sending three linemen to referee Brad Allen. Campbell said he explained the play to the refs before the game. However, Brad Allen was apparently not present during that meeting.
“If you’re running a play like that and 70 (Skipper) is your jumbo tight end, and they know that because that’s what he does for you, and then you’re going to decide you’re going to make 68 (Decker) eligible and he walks over to the ref, and then the ref stands over 68 before the play and they hold the ball and they stand over and point at him, do you think you’re going to be able to throw the ball to 68?” Campbell said. “No, so it’s about eligibility, that’s what it’s about. And it has nothing to do with the ref. The ref knows. He knows because 68 reported. It’s for the defense so that they see three different people, and you’re just hoping they happen to not hear that it’s 70. That’s all.”
The Lions take on the Vikings this Sunday in Detroit.