NFL referee Carl Cheffers explains lengthy, controversial ending in Lions vs. Steelers

The Lions were down 29-24 with eight seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. At the Steelers’ nine-yard line, Lions QB Jared Goff threw an eight-yard pass to St. Brown, who then lateraled the ball to Goff, and he ran in it for a touchdown. It looked like the Lions won the game, but after the officials gathered for a long discussion, the touchdown was nullified because St. Brown was called for offensive pass interference. As a result of the penalty, the game ended, and the Steelers earned the 29-24 victory.

Carl Cheffers shares more on the Lions-Steelers ending

Cheffers was asked what the officials were discussing after the final play. “It is a pretty complex play,” he said. “We had the original player, who had the ball, lose possession of the ball. So, we had to decide if that was a fumble or backwards pass because, of course, we have restrictions on the recovery of the fumble inside of two minutes. We ruled that it was a backwards pass, so the recovering player was able to advance it, and that recovering player advanced it for a touchdown.

“We had to rule on that, and then because of the pass interference, it negates the touchdown. Because it is an offensive foul, we do not extend the half. Therefore, there is no score, and there is no replay of the down.”

With the Lions coming up short, they fell to 8-7 on the year and have to win their final two games to have a chance to reach the playoffs. The Steelers improved to 9-6 and are getting closer to winning the AFC North for the first time since 2020.