Former NFL referee Gene Steratore blasts controversial offsides call on Steelers field goal

The game over the weekend between Jacksonville and Pittsburgh was marred by a controversial decision on a field goal before halftime. That was a decision that former NFL referee and rules expert Gene Steratore blasted the referees over.

The call happened just before the half when the Steelers kicked and made a long field goal. However, the Steelers were called for lining up offsides and pushing the kick back, despite it not looking like anyone was lined up wrong. The Steelers ended up missing the kick, taking points off the board.

“I know that they put some emphasis there because they want to make sure it [neutral zone] is completely clean and no one can that inch or two in those scenarios,” Steratore explained. “That’s the art of the game, though.”

The emphasis that Steratore is talking about is largely thanks to the tush push that the Philadelphia Eagles have popularized, though. It’s not necessarily for field goal situations.

“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,” Steratore said.

“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 [making that call]. You just don’t go there.”

Interestingly, Gene Steratore isn’t saying that the referees made the wrong call. Instead, he’s saying they shouldn’t have made that call in that scenario.

Among those who agreed with Steratore that the referees got the call wrong on Pittsburgh’s field goal attempt was the Steelers’ kicker, Chris Boswell. He took to Instagram to leave a not-so-cryptic post about his feelings on the play.