By Moses Joshua 
League clarifies that New York had no involvement in the overturned touchdown call
Confusion and Controversy Over Goff’s Trick-Play Touchdown
The fallout from Jared Goff’s overturned touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs continues to ripple through the NFL, as a top league official publicly corrected Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell over his claims regarding the decision.
The controversy stemmed from a Week 6 matchup between the Lions and Chiefs, when Goff appeared to haul in a touchdown reception on a creative trick play near the goal line. Running back David Montgomery took the snap and threw to Goff, who juggled the ball before securing it as he crossed the plane.
However, after an extended review and sideline discussion, officials ruled that Goff had gone into motion illegally after being under center. The score was erased, and the Lions settled for a field goal instead — a decision that infuriated fans and left Campbell questioning who made the final call.
Dan Campbell’s Claim Disputed by NFL Leadership
After the game, Campbell suggested the decision came from the NFL’s league office in New York, implying that the officials on the field had received direction from above. But this week, Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, firmly denied that claim in an interview with Pro Football Talk.
“It was not (any assistance given from the league office),” Vincent said. “I’m not sure who Coach Campbell was referring to but we did not assist in that. We didn’t have to.”
Vincent went on to explain that the delay before the ruling was made is typical in situations where multiple officials are discussing complex plays.
“You see that delay — I see it quite often when you get the intentional grounding, where you see that huddle up and that late flag come in. Why? Because they’re communicating.”
Adding to the clarification, Mark Butterworth, the NFL’s vice president of replay training and development, also emphasized that illegal motion calls cannot be reviewed by the league office. Replay officials can only assist on identifying jersey numbers or confirming the involvement of specific players, not on determining penalties like motion infractions.
Lions Respond With Resilience
While the controversy stirred headlines for days, the Lions have since moved forward — and in impressive fashion. Following the loss to Kansas City, Detroit bounced back with a decisive win over the NFC-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers, entering their bye week with momentum.
Quarterback Jared Goff praised the team’s mental toughness and ability to stay focused after adversity:
“Being a pretty good team and having good resiliency, good adversity-fighting strengths,” Goff said, via SI.com. “We’ve got a really strong group and I don’t think one win ever gets us down and we know we have to respond and did today.”
Looking Ahead
Though the debate over the Week 6 call may linger among fans, the Lions seem determined not to let officiating controversies derail their season. With Aidan Hutchinson, Goff, and Dan Campbell’s fiery leadership, Detroit remains poised for another playoff push — no matter what rulings come their way.