NFL Admits Wrong Call in Steelers vs. Ravens Game

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers were the beneficiaries of several questionable calls by the officials in their latest victory. During their 27-22 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, there were multiple instances where calls made on the field were overturned and completely shifted the trajectory of the game.

One of the calls that went the Steelers way was a roughing the snapper penalty against the Ravens. During a Pittsburgh field goal attempt, Baltimore defender Travis Jones rushed past long snapper Christian Kuntz, knocking him over. The officiating crew on the field threw the flag and called him for roughing the snapper. The penalty awarded the Steelers a first down, and they scored on the ensuing play.

Following the game, the officials provided their perspective on the play. They defended the call as meeting the requirements of roughing the snapper, according to referee Alex Moore's comments.

"The snapper by rule is a defenseless player," he said. "So, the contact would be unnecessary. Basically, he ran him over."

Now, the league is saying the officiating crew was wrong. According to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, the league admitted to him that they botched that call. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic shared the update via his X account.

Harbaugh said the league admitted to him today that they botched the Travis Jones call. Cost the Ravens 4 points.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 8, 2025

football player avoids defende — Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs against Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones (98) in the first quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Harbaugh's Officiating Issue

The Ravens' coach was irate with the Steelers and officials. Between the roughing-the-snapper call, the overturned interception, and the reversed touchdown catch, Harbaugh criticized the current way the rules are being enforced. He called the interpretation of the rules "clear as mud," and went on to explain how confused they and the rest of the league are.

"That's how I feel about it," he confirmed. "We had a conversation with the league office and we appreciate that. It didn't clear anything up. It didn't make it any easier to understand."

Impact on Steelers vs. Ravens

The Steelers and Ravens will meet one more time this season, and it's hard to envision the officiating favoring Pittsburgh once again. Especially with the vocal complaints from Harbaugh after his team lost, the NFL will make sure they don't have to hear any more calls from the Ravens about unfair refereeing.

The Steelers welcome the Ravens to Acrisure Stadium to close out the 2025 regular season schedule. That contest will likely decide the AFC North champion and possibly which of these two teams makes the postseason. The Steelers hope it's their time to knock off the Ravens, and the Ravens are hoping that doesn't come with some assistance from the officiating.

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