HH. “THE REFS KILLED US!” — Joey Porter Jr. exploded after the Steelers’ crushing loss to the Bengals. Cameras caught every second of his furious postgame outburst… and what he shouted next left teammates stunned.
After a heartbreaking loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in primetime, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. deflected some of the blame onto the officiating crew.
Oct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The Bengals’ offense presents a unique challenge to opposing defenses because they boast one of the top wide receiver duos in the league with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Porter Jr. didn’t lend much credence to that notion, however, inferring that Pittsburgh’s defense could’ve held them in check had the officials not been as stingy with their calls.
“No, not really,” Porter Jr. said. “We’ve got the guys to do it, they just gotta let us play.”
When asked for further clarification as to what he meant, the third-year corner admitted that he didn’t agree with some of the penalties bestowed upon the Steelers throughout the game.
“I wasn’t a big fan of the calls today with the officiating,” Porter Jr. said. “But it is what it is. It’s football.”
He also revealed that he asked the referees on the field for an explanation for some of the calls, but stated that the explanation wasn’t of much substance.
“I was trying to figure it out, but he wasn’t really saying nothing educational to learn from, so it was pointless,” Porter Jr. said.
When it was all said and done, the Steelers were tagged with seven penalties for 59 yards while the Bengals finished with four infractions for 35 yards.
Porter Jr. himself was called for a defensive pass interference while in coverage on Chase during the first quarter before being called for the same exact infraction, this time on Higgins, in the closing seconds of the first half before the Bengals kicked a field goal that extended their lead to 17-10.
For as much of a gripe as Porter Jr. may have with some of the calls the crew made, Pittsburgh’s defense as a whole fell well short of expectations against the Bengals.
Joe Flacco, who was making just his second start for Cincinnati following a trade from the Cleveland Browns, completed 31 of his 47 attempts for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Chase and Higgins finished with yard totals of 161 and 96, respectively, while the former hauled in an almost unfathomable 16 passes.
Additionally, Chase Brown racked up 108 yards on 11 carries after not having more than 47 in a single game this season coming into the day.
It felt as though the Steelers’ defense had turned a corner over the past few weeks after getting off to a rough start, but the unit completely regressed under the lights in Cincinnati.
Ravens Legend Ray Lewis Urges NFL to Investigate Referees After Steelers’ Controversial Loss to Bengals: “They Got Robbed, and the League Can’t Ignore This.”
Cincinnati, OH – October 14, 2025 — Even the fiercest rival the Pittsburgh Steelers have ever known couldn’t stay silent after what unfolded on Thursday Night Football. Ravens Hall of Famer
Ray Lewis — the face of Baltimore’s defensive legacy — has broken his silence following the Steelers’ heartbreaking 31–33 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, calling for an official NFL investigation into what he labeled
“a disgrace to the game.”
“No one wanted the Steelers to lose more than I did — but not like this,” Lewis said. “The Steelers got robbed, and everyone who watched that game knows it. Those calls weren’t just wrong — they stole what this team fought for.”
His words echoed across the league, igniting an instant storm online as fans and analysts questioned the officiating that tilted momentum in Cincinnati’s favor. Two pivotal calls have since drawn heavy scrutiny — both shifting the outcome of one of the AFC North’s most heated battles.
With 2:52 left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Aaron Rodgers launched a deep pass toward DK Metcalf that was intercepted by Bengals corner Jordan Battle. Replays revealed the throw sailed inches beyond Metcalf’s fingertips before contact, appearing
uncatchable. Despite the magnitude of the play, referees refused to initiate a review, handing Cincinnati possession that led to the game-winning field goal.
Aaron Rodgers has ~words~ for the officials after this is ruled an INTpic.twitter.com/vFav3z5qm6 — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 17, 2025
The moment sparked outrage across X under the trending tag #RiggedTNF, with analysts calling it one of the season’s biggest officiating failures.
“That’s a play that changes standings, playoff implications, and locker rooms,” said former ref analyst Terry McAulay. “If that’s not reviewed, what is?”
Earlier, a questionable holding call on center
Zach Frazier in the third quarter erased a key conversion and killed a promising Steelers drive. On film, Frazier appeared to anchor perfectly — no grab, no twist, no pull — yet the 10-yard penalty forced a punt.
“That call was soft,” wrote ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “You can’t penalize clean blocking in that moment.”
Even Bengals fans admitted online that something felt off, noting the 11–4 penalty imbalance
that consistently pushed Pittsburgh backward. And while Cincinnati celebrated, Ray Lewis’ unexpected defense of his long-time rival stole the postgame spotlight.
“You don’t have to wear black and gold to see what happened,”
he said. “You don’t cheat the game to win it. If the NFL ignores this, then the message is clear — fairness is optional.”
The league has yet to release any official statement on the officiating controversy, but pressure is mounting for the NFL’s competition committee to review the tape.
As Lewis concluded, “The Bengals got the win. The Steelers got robbed. But what really lost tonight — was the integrity of football itself.”
