NFL head coach rips current state of officiating in text message: ‘Time for owners to act’

At least one NFL head coach is unhappy with the state of officiating in the league and wants owners to step up to the plate. In a text message shared by Pro Football Talk, a current coach called for owners to “act on officiating.”

Officiating has been a hot topic throughout the current NFL season, and the game between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night only added fuel to the fire. The Packers pulled out a 27-19 victory over the Chiefs, but the end of the game featured multiple questionable calls that left some fans scratching their heads.

For one, there was a penalty called for unnecessary roughness against the Packers for a hit on Patrick Mahomes that appeared to be a clean play as it occurred while the quarterback was still in bounds.

There were also multiple plays in the final minute where it looked like pass interference occurred but wasn’t called. The first play came when Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine clearly jumped on the back of Kansas City wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling while the ball was in the air headed in their direction.

The second came on the final play of the game, as Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was seemingly pushed by a Green Bay defender while the ball was in the air on a Hail Mary toss. No penalty was called.

Having numerous questionable calls down the stretch of a prime-time game isn’t a great look for the NFL’s officials. At least the calls, or lack thereof, negatively impacted both teams as opposed to just one, but it’s still an area that the league may need to look at, as consistency needs to be established. Many folks feel that players and coaches prepare too hard on a weekly basis for the outcome of a contest to ultimately be in the hands of officials.

After the game between the Chiefs and Packers, ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick also called for the referees to be held accountable.

It’s unlikely that any major changes will be made midseason, but it will be very interesting to see what the league does to address the concerns over the offseason.