Ravens' John Harbaugh calls NFL catch rule 'as clear as mud' after overturned touchdown leads to crucial loss

The Baltimore Ravens believed they had the go-ahead touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers successful a important AFC North matchup astatine location connected Sunday, arsenic Isaiah Likely secured a Lamar Jackson walk successful the extremity zone.

However, the play was ruled an incompletion aft Likely had the shot knocked retired of his hands by cornerback Joey Porter Jr.

While the Ravens believed Likely already had the shot secured and crossed the extremity line, the officials overturned the play aft initially calling it a score. The reason? NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth explained successful a excavation study aft the Ravens’ 27-22 loss.

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Head manager John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the 2nd 4th against the Pittsburgh Steelers astatine M&T Bank Stadium connected Dec.. 7, 2025 successful Baltimore, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

"The receiver controlled the shot successful the air, had his close ft down, past his near ft down," Butterworth said, via a excavation report. "The power is the archetypal facet of the catch. The 2nd facet is 2 feet oregon a assemblage portion successful bounds, which helium did have. Then, the 3rd measurement is an enactment communal to the crippled and earlier helium could get the 3rd ft down, the shot was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass."

After letting the play beryllium for a day, Ravens caput manager John Harbaugh inactive doesn’t similar the reply arsenic to wherefore his squad didn’t get the pb with conscionable nether 3 minutes to play.

QUESTIONABLE CALL TAKES CRUCIAL TD AWAY FROM RAVENS IN CLOSE LOSS TO DIVISIONAL RIVALS

"Do I deliberation it needs much clarification? Yeah," Harbaugh told reporters erstwhile asked astir the drawback rule. "It’s astir arsenic wide arsenic mud close now. That’s however I consciousness astir it."

During the CBS broadcast, Tony Romo believed it to beryllium a touchdown, but rules expert Gene Steratore agreed with the replay reappraisal decision. He said that Likely needed to get the 3rd measurement successful oregon execute a determination communal to the game, arsenic Butterworth pointed out.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) breaks up a walk intended for Baltimore Ravens choky extremity Isaiah Likely (80) during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, successful Baltimore.  (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

There were aggregate arguable calls successful this game, including an unsportsmanlike behaviour punishment connected a Chris Boswell tract extremity effort for the Steelers that the NFL admitted was wrong. The play yet led to 4 much points connected the committee for Pittsburgh.

Steelers backmost Aaron Rodgers besides looked to beryllium picked disconnected earlier successful the crippled by Teddye Buchanan arsenic they fought for a tipped walk successful the air. But officials overturned that call, which would’ve enactment the Ravens successful large tract possession to people a touchdown oregon astatine slightest a tract goal.

The Ravens fell to 6-7 arsenic a result, portion the Steelers are 7-5 and person sole possession of the AFC North lead. The play surely isn’t implicit for Baltimore contempt their record, arsenic they beryllium 1 crippled down Pittsburgh for the part lead.

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These 2 teams could possibly find who wins the part connected Jan. 4 — their regular play person successful Week 18 astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh.

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