Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Karl Rasmussen

NFL Fans Were in Disbelief After Officials’ Questionable False Start Call Against Steelers

The Steelers were on the wrong end of a questionable decision from the officiating crew during Thursday Night Football against the Patriots

On fourth-and-3 with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh’s punt unit appeared to a draw an offsides penalty against New England. Players on both sides reacted as if the Patriots had jumped offsides, but when the referees announced the penalty, they ruled it a false start against Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz.

The officials had determined that Kuntz’s slight pre-snap head movement was enough to warrant a flag, pushing Pittsburgh back five yards rather than granting the team a much-needed first down.

NFL fans on social media were not convinced by the decision from the officiating crew, and they made their voices heard on social media after yet another controversial ruling.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.