Referee Brad Allen was responsible for one of the biggest officiating blunders in NFL history.
You already know all about it … What happened in Dallas last Saturday night was disgraceful and inexplicable.
So, what should be done about Allen and his crew? … How bad should their punishment be?
Well, how about we assign them to one of the biggest games on the entire Week 18 schedule – how does that sound???
That’s right, Allen’s crew will be officiating Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game in Baltimore, in front of a standalone national television audience.
Referee Brad Allen and his crew — who last worked Saturday night’s Lions-Cowboys game — have been assigned to Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game on ESPN. So back on national television. pic.twitter.com/q5Uqo2j1tU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 2, 2024
Now, that game may not mean much for the Ravens, but it means the entire world for the Steelers who are fighting for a playoff spot.
Allen’s crew faced intense scrutiny following two high-profile mistakes in the recent Lions-Cowboys matchup. The most contentious call occurred late in the game when the Lions attempted a two-point conversion to secure a victory.
The confusion stemmed from uncertainty over which offensive lineman, Dan Skipper or Taylor Decker, had reported eligible.
Decker caught what would have been the game-winning conversion but was flagged for not properly reporting … Video angles made it clear as day that Decker was indeed the one who reported and Allen just plain and simple screwed it up.
100 percent everyone checked in with the ref so they could make that play. The Cowboys once again get lucky and the Lions get cheated out of the win by the rigged NFL refs pic.twitter.com/I5N4x2dbhA
— Jake Who Tweets (@Jake_Who_Tweets) December 31, 2023
That was not the first time Allen’s crew has come under fire.
In a Sunday Night Football matchup between the Packers and Chiefs last month, numerous questionable calls were made, including flagging Packers defensive back Jonathan Owens for a late hit initiated inbounds.
The worst of all was a blatant pass interference on Chiefs wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling by Packers defensive back Carrington Valentine that went unflagged.
NFL is really going to let Brad Allen go unpunished? He’s flat out lying. Dude never talked to Dan Skipper and nods right at Decker. Then announces 70 as eligible. The pure negligence is bad but to double down and lie? Good lord. Suspend and fine his ass pic.twitter.com/XlaS2adb8c
— JAKE ELLENBOGEN (@JKBOGEN) December 31, 2023
What are your thoughts on Allen’s crew being assigned Saturday’s high-profile game?
Yes, the referring schedules were probably already set, but Allen’s mistake last Saturday was so egregious that something drastic needed to be done immediately.
What does the NFL need to do to fix their obvious officiating problem???
(We can start by having refs be FULL-TIME employees, so they can get year-round training and reps!)
A Detroit Lions Fan Already Put Up A Billboard Complaining About Last Week's Controversial Loss To The Cowboys https://t.co/PJCRVRuMBz pic.twitter.com/wYT2gWZj3I
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 3, 2024