The NFL is standing firm on its procedure for players reporting as eligible, despite the controversy surrounding the Dallas Cowboys’ recent victory over the Detroit Lions. The league views the situation as an attempt by the Lions to use deception and gamesmanship, which ultimately backfired.
In a critical moment during the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell tried to pull off a trick play after Amon-Ra St. Brown’s touchdown brought them within a point of the Cowboys. Quarterback Jared Goff connected with offensive tackle Taylor Decker in the end zone for what looked like a successful two-point conversion. However, Decker was flagged for illegal touching, invalidating the attempt.
Replays revealed that Decker had approached referee Brad Allen before the play, presumably to declare himself as an eligible receiver. Allen stated after the game that it was offensive tackle Dan Skipper, not Decker, who had reported as eligible.
Cowboys-Lions pool report: pic.twitter.com/RTBq4iZgmt
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) December 31, 2023
Goff expressed his confusion about the situation to reporters after the game, emphasizing that Decker had reported and not Skipper, contrary to Allen’s assertion.
In his postgame press conference, Coach Campbell hinted at a pregame conversation with officials to set up the trick play. However, it was noted that Brad Allen did not attend the pregame meeting, which is standard procedure.
“The explanation was 70 reported.”
“Did Decker report?”
“Yes.”
– Lions coach Dan Campbell on the illegal touching penalty pic.twitter.com/dzoBG4Jnhu
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 31, 2023
The Lions added an extra layer of deception by having both Skipper and Decker approach Allen before the snap. They aimed to make the Cowboys believe that Skipper was reporting as eligible, leading them to cover Skipper, not Decker. Unfortunately, this tactic led to confusion, even among the officials.
While the NFL is not changing its player reporting rules, it has acknowledged that mistakes were made. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that a significant portion of Allen’s officiating crew will not be working in the postseason due to multiple missed calls throughout the season, including the pivotal two-point conversion play.