Watch: Lions HC blasts NFL officials after 2-point play got cancelled, as new footage indicates Taylor Decker reported Brad Allen

Days ago, the Detroit Lions won their first division title since 1993, urging rap star Eminem to go crazy in excitement. The team is slowly proceeding towards its pursuit of a Super Bowl title in the 2023 NFL season. After going down to the Chicago Bears, they amassed two back-to-back wins before again losing against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17.

Following the loss against Dak Prescott‘s Cowboys in the recent match, the Lions also found themselves embroiled in a whirlwind of controversy due to a game-deciding call of referee Brad Allen that even left Head Coach Dan Campbell visibly upset.

Lions HC talks on Brad Allen’s controversial decision

On December 30, a disputed 2-point conversion contributed to the Lions’ narrow 20-19 loss to the Cowboys. The controversial moment arrived late in the fourth quarter, when what initially seemed like a successful 2-point conversion by the Lions was invalidated by a contentious call for illegal touching against the team.

Coach Campbell addressed the media with visible disappointment and revealed that the referees had explained to him the confusion between linemen Dan Skipper and Taylor Decker, who broke into tears after the Lions secured their first NFC division title in 30 years.

“70 reported, 68 didn’t, we threw it to 68, that was the explanation,” Campbell bluntly said via Heavy. He later abruptly expressed his unwillingness to delve deeper into the matter saying,“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Prior to the controversial play, the Lions found themselves trailing after the Cowboys took a fourth-quarter lead. With a commendable drive, they managed to secure a touchdown and close the gap to 20-19 with only 23 seconds left on the clock. Opting for a bold move, Campbell’s call for a 2-point conversion, rather than a safer game-tying extra point, initially appeared to pay off as quarterback Jared Goff connected with Taylor Decker in the endzone, but seemingly luck was not in their favor.

Video shows Taylor Decker reported Brad Allen

With the Lions’ hopes pinned on a go-ahead two-point conversion, a mix-up in reporting eligible receivers cost them dearly. The confusion centered around Decker, initially thought to have failed in reporting as eligible but later clarified to be his fellow lineman, Dan Skipper. Video footage circulated on social media, capturing Decker seemingly approaching referee Brad Allen in an effort to report himself as an eligible receiver.

Besides that, another angle displayed Jared Goff appearing to signal to Decker to instruct him to report.

However, despite these gestures, Skipper was acknowledged as the eligible receiver by Allen. The NFL rulebook, specifically Rule 8, Section 1, Article 6 on Ineligible Receivers, outlines the necessary protocol for offensive players wearing specific numbers to report their eligibility status to the referee before assuming their position.

At the end, the Lions’ final attempt faltered as Goff’s pass to James Mitchell failed to connect, while the Cowboys secured victory by recovering an onside kick and successfully running out the clock.