Rex Ryan Sounds Off: 'Be a Man and Accept Responsibility'

Rex Ryan sounds off on awful officiating decision.

The NFL world is sounding off on the egregious officiating call that took place during the Detroit Lions' contest against the Dallas Cowboys.

Official Brad Allen is being heavily scrutinized and criticized for incorrectly assuming Dan Skipper, who had been reporting as eligible earlier in the game, went to him and reported as being eligible late in the game. 

Video clearly shows Taylor Decker reporting, after being instructed by quarterback Jared Goff to do so.

ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach Rex Ryan sounded off Sunday morning, saying it is completely unacceptable to blame players in this situation.

Allen doubled-down on his egregious error, stating it was Skipper who actually reported and not Decker. 

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“The players did exactly what they were supposed to do. Every one of them. Right from Jared Goff going over and telling Decker, ‘Go report.’ He went right over there and reported, with that nod of the official. I think the official assumed 70 (Dan Skipper) was, because he was reporting all day. That’s a plan, by the way. Where Dan Campbell failed is that he assumed that the official would’ve got it right. Why? Because he went over it, specifically, with him before the game," said Ryan. "That’s what you do. The officials come in, you go over every trick play scenario and all that stuff with the officials before the game.”

What makes the error so disturbing is the revelation that Campbell detailed the play to the officials prior to the game. 

"This is a huge mistake. But, the thing that bothers me the most is that we’re putting blame on the players. Stop," said Ryan. "The players did everything right. So, quit blaming, quit covering somebody’s butt and tell it the way it is. Be a man and take responsibility. It’s BS. And this thing right here, 'Oh, it’s just a game.' Yeah, it’s a game that may very well cost them the second seed and possibly the first seed. 

"And, it is a huge difference having to play on the road instead of playing at home. John Parry, to me, is one of the best officials of all time. We’re lucky to have him here, the guy’s great, and in his eyes, he sees it a different way than I see it and so be it," Ryan continued. "I’m telling you right now, as a football coach, I know exactly what the hell happened.”

The pool report that was released after the game has also upset many. In it, Allen appears to be directly contradicting what Decker and Skipper said occurred. 

"The thing that drives me absolutely crazy is, and I get it, the referee is a human being. He made a mistake. You’re seeing a 6-foot-9 guy, a big tackle, a 6-foot-9 guy that’s right in front of you, but you didn’t see his jersey number," Ryan explained. "You assumed it was 70, and when you assume, you make a you-know-what out of you and me. And, that’s exactly what happened.”

"Stop blaming the players."

Rex Ryan says the officials missed it in the Lions vs. Cowboys game. 👀 pic.twitter.com/sWTNv4omOd

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 31, 2023