"Absolutely ridiculous," "Rigged for Chiefs": NFL fans tear into referees for overturning Lions TD with illegal shift call on Jared Goff

By Andre Castillo

Modified Oct 13, 2025 01:01 GMT

NFL: OCT 05 Lions at Bengals - Source: Getty — Jared Goff nearly caught a touchdown vs. Chiefs - Source: Getty

Jared Goff almost did it again on Sunday, but certain circumstances conspired to take it away from him. And fans were not happy with it.

During the opening drive of the game at the Kansas City Chiefs, the Detroit Lions quarterback appeared to catch a touchdown pass from running back David Montgomery, only for it to be cancelled after he was ruled to have made an illegal motion. However, plays supposedly involving that kind of penalty are non-reviewable:

And fans did not take long before attacking the referees:

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"Hey @NFL @SNFonNBC we all know you don’t like it when your Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes lose," one called out.

"Refs to the rescue for the Chiefs. Shocking," another sighed.

"There’s always something weird going on with the refs in chiefs games…," another analyzed.

The Lions were forced to settle for a field goal to end the drive after another penalty, this time for delay of game. Patrick Mahomes found Xavier Worthy for a touchdown for the other completed play of the first quarter.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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Edited by Andre Castillo