Former NFL referee Gene Steratore didn’t hold back in expressing his honest feelings on a highly controversial call the officials made on Sunday.
In the waning seconds of the first half of Sunday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars, Chris Boswell made a 55-yard field goal to seemingly cut the visitors’ lead to three points.
However, Steelers guard Isaac Seumalo was penalized for offside on the play, taking the field goal off the board. Boswell then had to attempt a 61-yarder that missed wide right.
Steratore, an NFL referee from 2003 to 2018, now works as a rules analyst for CBS. While speaking to Pittsburgh radio host Randy Baumman on 102.5 WDVE (h/t LeeAnn Lowman of Steeler Nation), Steratore stated that the refs were in the wrong to penalize Seumalo for offside on Boswell’s field goal attempt:
“I know that they put some emphasis there because they want to make sure it (neutral zone) is completely clean and no one can cheat that inch or two in those scenarios. That’s the art of the game, though. But this is a field goal, where someone’s left pinky might be in the neutral zone. Is there a competitive advantage to that play? Do we officiate that field goal the same way we would officiate a fourth-and-inches at the goal line on a ‘tush push’? No.
So get in the moment. Know what you’re dealing with. This is an assumption from me, but that’s where they went on that play. We’ve got to be aware of situational football in officiating. In my opinion, you just don’t go there. You just don’t go there.
Many also thought the refs missed a “Roughing the Passer” call after Steelers QB Kenny Pickett took a shot to the ribs in the second quarter. He was taken out of the game and replaced by backup Mitch Trubisky, who threw two interceptions in the game.
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The Steelers went on to lose the game 20-10, dropping them to 4-3 on the year, while the Jaguars improved to 6-2. Pittsburgh will try to bounce back on Thursday night when they welcome Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans at Acrisure Stadium.
