In a controversial incident during a recent NFL game, Detroit Lions' Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper were at the center of a miscommunication with the officials regarding player eligibility. Head Coach Dan Campbell, quarterback Jared Goff, and Decker himself confirmed that Decker reported as eligible for the play. However, referee Brad Allen stated that it was Skipper who reported eligible and Decker did not. Skipper denied reporting eligible, stating, “I didn’t say a word, and I’d like to not get fucking fined.” The discrepancy led to a penalty for illegal touching on what would have been a successful two-point conversion pass from Goff to Decker, flagged late in the game. Campbell is known to review potential trick plays with officials before games, and it is understood that this situation had been discussed pre-game.
Referee Brad Allen told pool reporter @calvinwatkins that No. 70 Dan Skipper reported and No. 68 Taylor Decker did not. The report: https://t.co/4FWpUHmhxJ
So Brad Allen went with “Calling the Lions liars”—saying that Dan Skipper reported as eligible (he couldn’t have been eligible, based on alignment) and that Taylor Decker didn’t. This is gonna get real interesting. https://t.co/KtAbxMo3pF
Pool report: Referee Brad Allen told @calvinwatkins that No. 70 (Dan Skipper) reported and No. 68 (Taylor Decker) did not. He's sticking by that story. Here's the full report: https://t.co/yTlqySlJRP https://t.co/7Zjt3gds6y
If you watch the replay of Taylor Decker walking up to the ref to report, Dan Skipper isn’t even in that discussion. He runs on the field and gets near Decker as the ref starts to walk away. I don’t know how that gets confused.
Lions OT Taylor Decker explaining what happened with the controversial call. Per @nolanbianchi. https://t.co/2krYOCy7eM
"I don't know if I'll get fined for this, but I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not." - Lions QB Jared Goff on the illegal touching penalty https://t.co/z0NWaoUo22
Lions LT Taylor Decker “I did what I was told to do” He also mentions Dan Campbell reviews these types of situations with the refs pre-game (Via @nolanbianchi) https://t.co/83atPvR9qV
Dan Campbell allegedly explained this situation to the refs BEFORE the game according to Taylor Decker much like the entire world, the OL is befuddled by the entire situation https://t.co/i2lRymTbC3
#Lions QB Jared Goff confirms he was telling Taylor Decker to report as eligible: “Yep… and he did.” https://t.co/UO5t9YPsjH https://t.co/9dWB9rBrpz
Jared Goff post-game: “What I do know and I don’t know if I’ll get fined for this, but I do know Decker reported, I do know that Dan Skipper did not and I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did so …(throws arm up in air in a questioning motion) … it’s unfortunate.”
Jared Goff said officials messed it up. He said he knows Decker reported and Skipper did not. Still wonder why Skipper ran to official and a third linemen was also there. Could be trying to confuse Cowboys, but official tells them who reported.
Lions OT Taylor Decker on what happened at the end of the game: "I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to the ref and said 'report.'" (via @nolanbianchi) https://t.co/i0GpYyySef
Important to note: Dan Campbell goes over all of the Lions' potential trick plays with officials before the game, including the 2-point try that was flagged late in the game https://t.co/8b6s41aCzb via @freep
"I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to the ref and said 'report.'" Taylor Decker on the 2-point conversion attempt https://t.co/aHygDIyj1I
Taylor Decker: “I mean, I did exactly what coach told me to do.” https://t.co/MnmK3GANsm
#Lions OT Taylor Decker confirms that he reported to the refs as an eligible receiver. The refs clearly blew this game. (via: @nolanbianchi) https://t.co/xksdZsYB91
Basically they tried to confuse the Cowboys and ended up confusing the ref instead. That’s the whole thing.
Jared Goff: "Pretty confused. What I do know, and I don't know if I'll get fined for this. But I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not. And I do know that they said that Dan Skipper did."
#Lions OT Taylor Decker: "I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to the ref and said 'report.'" He also says its his understanding that HC Dan Campbell explained this exact situation to the refs before the game. (🎥 @nolanbianchi) https://t.co/XOQPMfeWk0 https://t.co/k8o9KRDQA2
Jared Goff said Taylor Decker reported and Dan Skipper did not. The Lions QB said he’s confused. https://t.co/fA91htSPML
#Lions OT Taylor Decker: "I did exactly what the coach told me to do. I went to report and said 'report.'" He also says its his understanding that HC Dan Campbell explained this exact situation to the refs before the game. (🎥 @nolanbianchi) https://t.co/XOQPMfeWk0 https://t.co/k8o9KRDQA2
And for the record, Dan Skipper says he didn’t report as eligible. “I didn’t say a word, and I’d like to not get fucking fined.” He left it at that, understandably. https://t.co/uAdwKiQwZu
#Lions QB Jared Goff: I do know that Decker reported and that Skipper did not. https://t.co/X3KwD0zsdB
Jared Goff: “I do know that Decker reported. I do know that Dan Skipper did not.”
After appearing to take the lead on a two-point conversion pass from Jared Goff to Taylor Decker, the Lions were flagged for illegal touching. Dan Campbell spoke postgame about the call ⤵️ 🎥 @Lions https://t.co/Nskj5cGAbC
Dan Campbell says the officials told him that Dan Skipper reported eligible, not Taylor Decker. But Decker says he reported, and Skipper says he did not. “I didn’t say a word, and I’d like to not get fucking fined.”