The Detroit Lions just want answers, and once again, the NFL refuses to give them.
After Sunday’s controversial decision to wipe out Jared Goff’s first-quarter touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Dan Campbell publicly said he was told that “New York got involved” in the ruling.
That should have been the end of it. Except, according to veteran Lions beat writer Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, the league is now doubling down on its story, claiming New York had nothing to do with it.
Birkett reported on X (formerly Twitter):
“Reached out to NFL for comment on Dan Campbell’s comments on @costaandjansen that he was told NY got was involved w/decision to overturn Goff’s TD,” Birkett reported. “The league has nothing to add to ref Craig Wrolstad’s pool report that officials had no assistance from NY, crew decided on field.”
So now we have Dan Campbell saying one thing, the NFL saying another, and the league refusing to clarify a situation that’s angered both fans and players across Detroit.
The League’s Story Doesn’t Add Up
Let’s call this what it is: a cover-up.
The play in question: Goff’s creative trick-play touchdown, where he walked to the line, paused, and went in motion before catching a touchdown pass from David Montgomery, was called back for illegal motion.
Referee Craig Wrolstad admitted afterward that his crew took nearly 90 seconds to make the call, claiming they were “piecing together” whether Goff stopped long enough before motioning.
Here’s the problem: that’s not how officiating works. On-field penalties are instantaneous. You either see a violation or you don’t. Ninety seconds later, the call came in, conveniently right after a conversation that, according to Campbell, “came from New York.”
Now the league insists there was no involvement from the league office. If that’s true, why did it take nearly two minutes to make the call? Why did Campbell specifically say an official told him otherwise?
Something doesn’t line up, and the NFL’s vague, lawyer-written “no comment” isn’t cutting it.
This Isn’t Just About One Call
This is about credibility.
For decades, the Lions have been on the wrong side of questionable officiating. From the infamous Calvin Johnson “process of the catch” rule to the picked-up pass interference flag in 2019, Detroit fans have learned to expect the worst when the stripes get involved.
Now, once again, a judgment call erased a pivotal touchdown, in a primetime game, against the defending champs, and the league can’t even give a consistent explanation.
Fans deserve transparency. Campbell deserves honesty. And the Lions deserve accountability from a league that constantly talks about integrity while hiding behind “no further comment.”
Dan Campbell’s Not Backing Down
Campbell’s response on 97.1 The Ticket earlier this week was clear: he’s not making it up.
“I was told that’s where the call came from,” he said plainly.
He gains nothing by fabricating that. The NFL, on the other hand, has every reason to bury it, because if Campbell’s right, it means the league violated its own rules by using outside communication to influence a non-reviewable penalty.
That’s not just bad officiating. That’s cheating the integrity of the game.
The Bottom Line
The NFL can issue all the “no comments” it wants, but the optics are clear: Detroit got jobbed, again.
Dan Campbell told the truth. The refs told a story. And the league is hiding behind silence.
If the NFL really cares about fairness, it’s time to prove it. Until then, Lions fans will keep asking the same question:
Who’s really telling the truth: Dan Campbell or the NFL? We ALL know the answer to that question!
