US.Controversy Erupts: Officials Admit Rules Were Not Enforced in Detroit Lions’ Win — A Decision That Has Caused Uproar Among NFL Fans.
It turns out the Detroit Lions’ Week 10 victory over the Washington Commanders might have included a moment the NFL’s officiating crew would probably like to forget. According to a new report, officials made a conscious decision not to enforce a rule that should’ve led to an ejection, a move that’s drawing plenty of backlash from around the league.
What Happened in Washington
During the Lions’ 44-22 win, things got heated between the Commanders’ defense and the officiating crew. Washington defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw was flagged for making contact with an official following a two-point conversion attempt. Normally, that kind of contact leads to an automatic ejection.
But that’s not what happened.
According to ProFootballTalk, “After the very next play, a two-point conversion attempt after a Detroit touchdown, Kinlaw made contact with umpire Brandon Cruse. Kinlaw was flagged but not kicked out of the game. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the officials did not want to eject a player on consecutive plays.”
If that sounds strange, it’s because it is. One of Kinlaw’s teammates had already been ejected on the previous play, and apparently the officials didn’t want to “double up” on discipline.
The problem? That’s not how the rulebook works.
The Rule Is Clear — And Officials Ignored It
Making physical contact with an official is one of the few zero-tolerance rules in the NFL. There’s no gray area, it’s supposed to be an immediate ejection.
As ProFootballTalk bluntly put it, “Of course, that shouldn’t matter. If a player does something for which he should be ejected, he should be ejected. The fact that someone else was properly ejected one play earlier is irrelevant.”
The inconsistency didn’t go unnoticed. Fans and analysts immediately took to social media asking the obvious question:
“So anything goes the next play after a player is ejected?”
When the league’s own rules are selectively enforced, it raises questions about consistency and credibility, something officials have been under fire for all season.
