Controversial Officiating Overshadows Detroit Lions’ Win Over Green Bay Packers

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October 26, 2026
Professional Sports Sports

The Detroit Lions secured a victory against their rival Green Bay Packers with a score of 20-17 on Sunday. This result improved the Lions’ season record to 4-2, while the Packers fell to 4-3. However, the game was mired in controversy due to several officiating decisions.

Specifically, two roughing-the-passer penalties against Green Bay stood out, particularly one critical call in the final minutes. With the score tied at 17, Karl Brooks of the Packers made contact with Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff shortly after he passed the ball to Sam LaPorta. The officials penalized Brooks for roughing the passer, adding 15 yards to an 18-yard completion, aiding Detroit in reaching field-goal range. Jake Bates scored a 22-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the win for the Lions.

Tom Brady, calling the game on FOX with Kevin Burkhardt, expressed disbelief at the call. “No, my goodness. What is that? There’s no way! That’s definitely not roughing the passer!” he exclaimed. Dean Blandino, FOX’s rules analyst, supported Brady’s take, calling the play a standard tackle without a penalty.

Pat McAfee, an ESPN commentator, praised Brady’s willingness to address the officiating issues publicly. McAfee commented online, “I really appreciate Tom Brady’s disdain for some of the Roughing the Passer calls. He’s an owner and one of the lead commentators … he’s got A LOT OF WEIGHT.”

Brady serves as FOX’s lead NFL game analyst and holds a 5% ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, a role approved in October 2024. The NFL imposed restrictions on his broadcasting due to this ownership, limiting his access to team meetings, facilities, players, and adherence to league rules that prevent owners from publicly criticizing officials or other teams.

Concerns about officiating in the 2026 NFL season are widespread, with questionable penalties consistently surfacing. Despite Green Bay’s struggles with two missed field goals, a crucial fourth-quarter interception, and a poor red-zone performance, fans have noted the significant impact of such officiating decisions, including in Sunday’s game.