Referee Report: Bengals Getting Controversial Referee Who Worked 2 of Their Games Last Year

Jay Morrison | Oct 8, 2025

Oct 6, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) talks to referee Brad Allen before an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – After three consecutive weeks getting referees in the top three in penalties called, the Cincinnati Bengals are getting the guy at the other end of the list Sunday in Green Bay.

Brad Allen and his crew are averaging 12.67 flags per game and 10.67 that are accepted. Both of those numbers are the lowest of the 17 crews.

The crew ranked 12th flags thrown in both 2024 and 2023.

The Bengals are 4-5 with Allen.

The most recent game with Allen was Week 11 last year against the Chargers, a 34-27 loss in Los Angeles.

If five of the nine games Allen has worked, the Bengals have scored at least 33 points, including the 38-33 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 3 last season.

Allen is one of the rare NFL officials who began his career as a head referee, joining the league in 2014 after working for the ACC.

Allen and his crew were banned from the playoffs in 2023 after the infamous “failed to report” incident with the offensive linemen in the Dallas-Detroit game.

It looks like Taylor Decker reported here 👀
pic.twitter.com/FSNTqd7W7S

— PFF (@PFF) December 31, 2023

In the crew’s return to the playoffs in 2024 in a game between the Packers and Eagles, Allen and his crew made another controversial call, ruling that a fumble that appeared to be recovered by Green Bay kick returner Keisean Nixon was recovered by the Eagles.

They stuck with the call even after the review showed the ball had definitively been recovered by Nixon.

There were calls for another ban this season, but none has been announced. The one in 2023 wasn’t publicly announced either.

Allen earned a Divisional Round assignment in 2017, but he has worked beyond the Wild Card round since with appearances in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and last year.

Green Bay is 9-4 with Allen as the referee, with the most recent being last year’s controversial playoff game.

Allen and his crew already have had two bye – one in Week 3 and one last week.

Week 3, 2014: Bengals 33, Titans 7

Bengals 7-50; Titans 11-99

Week 1, 2015: Bengals 33, Raiders 13

Bengals 5-32; Raiders 6-50

Week 9, 2017: Jaguars 23, Bengals 7

Bengals 8-77; Jaguars 5-50

Week 16, 2019: Dolphins 38, Bengals 35 (OT)

Bengals 10-77; Dolphins 6-47

Week 4, 2021: Bengals 24, Jaguars 21

Bengals 6-38; Jaguars 2-20

Week 2, 2022: Cowboys 20, Bengals 17

Bengals 7-35; Cowboys 5-45

Week 11, 2022: Bengals 37, Steelers 30

Bengals 6-44; Steelers 8-70

Week 3, 2024: Commanders 38, Bengals 33

Bengals 5-16; Commanders 3-28

Week 11, 2024: Chargers 34, Bengals 27

Bengals 8-56; Chargers 5-50

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