'I Like My Money': Falcons Coach Talks Controversial No-Call in Loss vs. Chiefs

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, quarterback Kirk Cousins and safety Jessie Bates III discussed tight end Kyle Pitts and the pass interference that wasn't called.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris bit his tongue about the uncalled pass interference penalty on tight end Kyle Pitts. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts soared through the air, his feet raised above the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf with 4:12 to play in the fourth quarter Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Falcons, trailing 22-17, were searching for a go-ahead touchdown on 3rd and 5 from the Chiefs' 6-yard line.

Yet as Pitts reached for the ball, something else hit his body -- the helmet and arms of Chiefs safety Bryan Cook.

The pass from Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins fell incomplete. Receiver Darnell Mooney looked at the nearest official and asked for a flag, but to no avail. No penalty was called, and Atlanta trotted back to the huddle.

Refs let the Chiefs get away with a lot of contact on this pass to Pitts. Falcons end up turning it over on downs. #KCvsATL pic.twitter.com/rSFnM2tIb8

— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) September 23, 2024

The Falcons failed to convert on fourth down, and on the ensuing drive, were stopped again on 4th and inches, sealing a 22-17 home loss to the Chiefs.

Perhaps the result would have been different had Cook been penalized -- but that's a conversation Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said can be held without him.

"I like my money," Morris said postgame on the fines that would have been levied against him for criticizing the officials. "I like my money that [Falcons owner] Arthur Blank gives me."

As long time NFL executive Jim Finks put it years ago- "I'm not allowed to comment on lousy officiating."

After the game, Pro Football Writers Associations pool reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter gained further clarity on the call from referee Tra Blake, who said pass interference is a non-reviewable judgement call.

And in the moment, the officiating crew did not see pass interference.

"That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on," Blake said. "From the angle they had at the time, they did not feel there was a foul committed."

Cousins noted he didn't have a good viewpoint of the play in the endzone and instead redirected the conversation to his own corrections.

The 36-year-old anticipated throwing the ball to Mooney, but the Chiefs had a safety well-positioned to cover the route. As a result, Cousins pivoted to Pitts, but felt he was late doing so, leaving Pitts with little real estate.

Cousins would do things differently if he could -- but not because of the officiating.

"In hindsight, if I could have the play over again, I either would have gotten to Kyle earlier, or if I were to get to him as late as I did, to put the ball up higher and not even really put it in the refs' hands at that point," Cousins said.

Morris took a similar approach to his four-time quarterback, declining to criticize the officials and instead focusing on the fact Atlanta had another opportunity the following drive to make the call a non-factor.

"Smart enough to be aware not to talk about officials," Morris said. "They made the call, or they didn't make the call, it is what it is. We had a chance to win the football game on the last play of the game."

Falcons safety Jessie Bates III watched the play from the sidelines. He said it was a difficult to see when it happened live and was bang-bang in nature, but he naturally believes Atlanta deserved a more favorable call.

"Clearly, I'm going to say it was a P.I.," Bates said. "But nothing we can do now. It is what it is."

And in this case, "what it is" is a key talking point in a game that ultimately came down to a few plays in the waning minutes -- and a crucial judgement call from the officials that leaves the Falcons wondering what could have been.