Bengals Referee Report: Sunday's White Hat Drew Ire for Non-Calls in Key Cincinnati Loss Last Year

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears will have one of the NFL’s most senior referees on the call Thursday night.

Clete Blakeman has been an NFL official since 2008 and a head referee since 2010, and this will be the 17th Cincinnati game he’s officiated.

The most recent one ended with the Bengals and their fans questioning some key non-calls in their 35-34 loss at Baltimore in Week 10 last year.

The irony is that Blakeman and his crew led the NFL in flags thrown (17.82) and penalties accepted (15.47) last year.

They nearly equaled their total in that game, albeit in lopsided fashion, flagging the Ravens 11 times for 83 yards and the Bengals three times for 23 yards, which may have played a role in the non-calls on the final drive.

Blakeman and his crew rank 11th in total flags thrown in 2025 at 15.14.

Of those, 13.29 have been accepted, ranking 10th.

Overall, Cincinnati is 8-8 with Blakeman on the call, including two playoff games.

Blakeman has earned postseason assignments in 11 of his 15 seasons as a referee, including Super 50 in 2015 and the AFC Championship Game last year and the 2023 NFC Championship Game.

Week 10, 2024: Ravens 35, Bengals 34

Bengals 3-23; Ravens 11-81

Week 1, 2023: Browns 24, Bengals 3

Bengals 4-20; Browns 5-43

Week 6, 2022: Bengals 35, Falcons 17

Bengals 5-17; Falcons 3-22

Divisional Round, 2021: Bengals 19, Titans 16

Bengals 6-46; Titans 2-15

Week 16, 2021: Bengals 41, Ravens 21

Bengals 5-45; Ravens 6-27

Week 3, 2021: Bengals 24, Steelers 10

Bengals 10-89; Steelers 10-73

Week 3, 2019: Bills 21, Bengals 17

Bengals 8-54; Bills 7-55

Week 5, 2018: Steelers 28, Bengals 21

Bengals 6-30; Steelers 9-69

Week 2, 2017: Texans 13, Bengals 9

Bengals 7-45; Texans 9-61

Week 12, 2016: Ravens 19, Bengals 14

Bengals 2-15; Ravens 8-69

Week 12, 2016: Ravens 19, Bengals 14

Bengals 2-15; Ravens 8-69

Week 1, 2016: Bengals 23, Jets 22

Bengals 5-44; Jets 7-95

Week 6, 2015: Bengals 34, Bills 21

Bengals 3-20; Bills 8-93

Week 8, 2014: Bengals 27, Ravens 24

Bengals 6-40; Ravens 7-51

Week 8, 2014: Bengals 27, Ravens 24

Bengals 6-40; Ravens 7-51

Week 3, 2013: Bengals 34, Packers 30

Bengals 5-43; Packers 4-55

Week 7, 2012: Steelers 24, Bengals 17

Steelers 5-50; Bengals 2-20

Wild-Card Round, 2011: Texans 31, Bengals 10

Texans 5-87; Bengals 3-25