The Detroit Lions’ opening possession against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football looked flawless — until one baffling call turned what could’ve been a perfect start into a chaotic night.
Marching methodically down the field, the Lions blended their strong rushing attack with sharp passes from Jared Goff. Near the goal line on fourth down, Detroit decided to gamble, as they often do. The plan involved a bit of deception: Goff motioned outward, the snap went directly to David Montgomery, who then tossed the ball back to Goff. After briefly bobbling it, Goff secured the catch and made his way into the end zone.
The play wasn’t as smooth as Goff’s memorable touchdown grab against Seattle last year, but it was still impressive — until the officials intervened. Following a lengthy conversation, referees ruled that Goff’s pre-snap motion was illegal. The touchdown was nullified, and the Lions settled for a field goal.
The decision left fans, analysts, and even players puzzled, especially since Kansas City finished the night without a single accepted penalty. Goff and head coach Dan Campbell appeared just as bewildered as everyone else.
Goff: “I Thought I Did Everything Right”
After the game, Goff was visibly frustrated as he tried to make sense of the ruling.
“We’re all trying to figure out what exactly happened,” Goff said. “My hands weren’t under center, and I was set for the play to start. I thought that was all I needed to do. The refs told me that since I was close enough to the center, I was considered the quarterback, which means I can’t go in motion. That’s new to me — and to most of our coaches, too. If that’s the rule, we’ll have to look deeper into it.”
Some have argued that Goff’s quick tap on center Graham Glasgow could’ve been interpreted as being “under center,” or that he wasn’t fully set before the snap. But both interpretations seem subjective enough to question whether the penalty should’ve been called, especially after such a long delay.
Conflicting Explanations From Campbell and Officials
The confusion only deepened when Campbell and Goff shared what they were told by officials. According to Goff, the issue was his alignment — his proximity to the center. But Campbell said after the game that he was informed the call originated from New York and had to do with Goff’s motion not stopping completely.
“I know the call came from New York,” Campbell said. “They said he never stopped. He stayed in motion, and that’s not allowed.”
“New York” refers to the NFL’s GameDay Central replay team. That makes the situation murkier, because if Campbell’s version is correct, the league’s replay office might’ve had a hand in influencing an on-field judgment call.
To clear things up, pool reporter Matt Derrick spoke with referee Craig Wrolstad after the game. Wrolstad explained that the crew had to “piece together” what happened because Goff briefly went out of view for some officials.
“We needed to determine whether he had stopped at the center and whether he stopped again before going in motion,” Wrolstad said.
The crew concluded that Goff paused initially but not after shifting into receiver position. When asked if the play would’ve been legal had Goff reset before the snap, Wrolstad replied, “That’s correct.” He also added that if Goff had lined up in shotgun formation, there would’ve been no issue.
However, Wrolstad then made a statement that directly contradicted Campbell’s version of events:
“We didn’t receive any input from Kansas City or from New York,” he said.
This inconsistency sparked further questions. If Campbell believed the review came from the replay center, was there a miscommunication between officials and the Lions’ sideline? Or did replay personnel play an unacknowledged role under the umbrella of reviewing every scoring play?
The Aftermath
In the end, Campbell downplayed the impact of the reversed touchdown, insisting it didn’t decide the outcome. But it’s hard to ignore how the reversal may have swung the game’s momentum. With questionable penalties — and non-calls — piling up, the Lions looked unsettled for much of the night.
What began as a promising opening drive quickly unraveled, contributing to a frustrating 30–17 defeat that left Detroit fans feeling like more than just points were taken off the board.
