NFL Officiating Is Under Fire Again - And This Time, It’s More Than Just a Missed Call
There’s a moment in every NFL season when the conversation shifts. Not from one team to another, not from MVP favorites to playoff races, but from football to officiating - and not in a good way. That moment arrived this past week, and it hit like a blindside blitz.
Let’s start with a play that, by almost every standard - fan, analyst, and former official alike - looked like a textbook touchdown. Back in Week 8, during a Packers-Steelers matchup, Roman Wilson made what appeared to be a clean catch in the back of the end zone.
Roman Wilson’s first career NFL touchdown. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/vJYfxY5sPD
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) October 27, 2025
He elevated, secured the ball, got both feet down, and even took a third step before the ball was knocked loose. NBC’s rules analyst Terry McAulay didn’t hesitate: “It’s absolutely a catch.”
This go ahead touchdown to Isaiah Likely was ruled incomplete for the Ravens...
— Underdog (@Underdog) December 7, 2025
Thoughts 😬pic.twitter.com/5IHm9eICha
And honestly, it looked like one. Felt like one.
Even in the often-divided world of social media, there was rare consensus - that’s six points. No gray area.
No confusion. Just football being played at a high level and rewarded accordingly.
Fast forward to Sunday’s Ravens-Steelers clash, and the officiating pendulum swung hard in the other direction. With just over two minutes left in a tight, one-score game between two AFC North heavyweights, Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely made a grab that, on the surface, mirrored Wilson’s.
He caught the ball, got two feet down, and was beginning to take a third step before the ball was dislodged. Tony Romo, calling the game for CBS, said what most were thinking: “One, two, that will stand.”
Except it didn’t. After review, the call was reversed.
No catch. A few plays later, the Ravens turned the ball over on downs and eventually lost the game.
Now, let’s be fair - the officials told John Harbaugh that Likely didn’t complete the “football move,” that elusive phrase buried deep in the rulebook that has become a catch-all (or rather, a no-catch-all) for these kinds of decisions. But even if you squint and try to see their logic, it’s hard to ignore the growing frustration.
This wasn’t just a judgment call. It was a game-changing moment in a matchup with serious playoff implications.
And it wasn’t an isolated incident.
The NBC SNF crew disagreed with consecutive penalties against the Commanders on the final drive of regulation vs the Broncos.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 1, 2025
Rules analyst Terry McAulay: "This is absolutely not (intentional) grounding, guys." 🏈🦓🎙️ #NFL #SNF pic.twitter.com/lRzZhfqEGG
This past week has been a case study in how officiating can derail the rhythm, outcome, and even the integrity of NFL games. From prime-time showdowns to early-window matchups, we’ve seen a string of questionable - and in some cases, downright baffling - decisions that have left players, coaches, and fans shaking their heads.
Take Sunday Night Football’s Commanders-Broncos game. A phantom false start led directly into a misapplied intentional grounding call. That’s two errors in one sequence, both of which shifted momentum and left everyone wondering what exactly the officials were seeing.
Jake Ferguson called forOPI on this play really changesthe outcome of this game @Rate_the_Refs what do you think pic.twitter.com/WBoAWVhqxS
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) December 5, 2025
Or look at Thursday Night Football, where Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was flagged for offensive pass interference. The “infraction”?
What looked like a routine swim move - a maneuver tight ends and receivers use all the time to create separation. The booth analyst called it incorrect.
The replay backed him up. But the flag stood.
Then there was the Texans-Colts game on November 30. That one was so riddled with controversial calls that the postgame pool report - the NFL’s formal process for explaining officiating decisions - couldn’t even cover them all. Two of the most questionable calls came before an extra point attempt, and to this day, we still don’t know if that kick was actually good.
All of this brings us back to the central issue: the NFL’s officiating problem isn’t just about one missed call. It’s about a pattern.
A trend. A growing sense that the rules, as written and enforced, no longer serve the game - or the fans.
This season, more than most, feels like we’re careening toward a postseason where officiating, not execution, could decide who advances. And that’s a shame.
Because the league is on the verge of showcasing one of the most intriguing playoff fields in years. New faces, new storylines, fresh energy.
But instead of celebrating that, we’re stuck parsing replays and rulebook language that seems to shift week to week.
The NFL loves to tout its parity. And to be fair, it’s never been harder to predict who’s going to win on any given Sunday. But parity only works when the playing field is level - and right now, too many games are being tilted by flags, reviews, and inconsistent interpretations of what should be clear-cut rules.
It’s not just frustrating. It’s exhausting.
What’s needed isn’t more rules. It’s not more replay angles or longer reviews.
What the game needs is a return to common sense. Plays like Roman Wilson’s should be touchdowns.
Isaiah Likely’s catch should stand. These are moments that define games - and seasons.
They deserve clarity, not confusion.
The NFL has invested millions in technology, broadcast enhancements, and officiating infrastructure. And yet, here we are, still debating what a catch is in 2025.
Still watching crucial games swing on subjective calls. Still hearing coaches bite their tongues in press conferences to avoid fines - all while the league insists everything is under control.
It’s not.
And until that changes, we’ll keep seeing plays like Likely’s - plays that should be celebrated for their athleticism and timing - reduced to footnotes in the growing saga of officiating controversies.
Football is a game of inches, yes. But it shouldn’t be a game of interpretations.
After a missed delay of game penalty and a phantom defensive holding penalty helped set up a Houston TD with an optical illusion PAT, J.J. Watt advises Colts fans to grab a drink.
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) November 30, 2025
Good color analysis, imo. pic.twitter.com/CEqjksRnsM
Not this often. Not this late in the season.