NFL Denies Lions’ Claim That Refs Received Outside Help in Controversial Penalty vs. Chiefs

The Detroit Lions may still be frustrated by how the NFL handled a crucial call during their 30–17 Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but the league is standing firm with a different version of events.

NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent addressed the controversy on Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio on Thursday, responding to claims made by Lions head coach Dan Campbell. The dispute centers on an illegal motion penalty that nullified a first-quarter trick-play touchdown from running back David Montgomery to quarterback Jared Goff.

NFL denies Lions' claim that refs had outside help in controversial penalty vs Chiefs https://t.co/oSyxSaOBkp

— Detroit Free Press (@freep) October 23, 2025

Campbell suggested after the game that referee Craig Wrolstad may have received “outside assistance” from the league office before announcing the flag — a claim Vincent firmly denied.

“I’m not sure who Coach Campbell was referring to, but we did not assist in that,” Vincent said.

The play initially appeared to give Detroit a 6–0 lead over the defending AFC champions. Goff bobbled the 4th-and-goal pass before regaining control and muscling his way into the end zone. But following a brief delay, officials called illegal motion on Goff, ruling he had not been set for a full second before shifting out wide. The Lions were forced to settle for a field goal instead.

Vincent explained that the delay came from the on-field crew communicating among themselves, not from any outside call to replay officials in Kansas City or to the league office in New York.

“You can hear the officials gathering in this particular case,” he said. “But we didn’t have to get involved in this play.”

After the game, Wrolstad told reporters that no outside assistance had been used in making the decision. Campbell, however, doubled down during a Wednesday radio appearance on 97.1 WXYT-FM, insisting he believed the referees had received help beyond the field.

Ironically, one week later, the Lions benefited from a controversial reversal in their Week 7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During a fourth-quarter challenge, officials overturned a ruling that the Lions weren’t even contesting — turning a Buccaneers first down into a turnover on downs.

This time, Campbell chose not to push the issue.

“Normally, it doesn’t always go down that way,” he said on Tuesday. “We’ll take it and move on.”

The league’s denial puts the matter to rest — at least officially — but the controversy highlights ongoing concerns about transparency, communication, and consistency in NFL officiating. For the Lions, the sting of that wiped-out touchdown may linger far longer than the league’s explanation.