Steelers' Mike Tomin Received Shocking Admission From NFL Official: "It's Been So Secretive"

Ask any Pittsburgh Steelers fan and they can tell you a story about when game officials called a play incorrectly. Actually, all you have to do is say, "Jesse James caught that ball," and you will send them into a tirade about how the Steelers likely would have won that game -- changing the trajectory of the rest of the season. Many fans will even talk about league conspiracies against the Steelers. 

That sounds ridiculous, and most level-headed fans acknowledge that bad calls are made against every team. However, occasionally, a story surfaces that makes you scratch your head in wonder. Kalyn Kahler recently published one such story in The Athletic. 

Kahler shared that issues with the officiating crews extend beyond the blown calls that fans see. Her article addressed the high turnover rate and the low morale among NFL officials, and she opened by recounting a conversation between Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and an official.   

"During a pregame meeting in 2022, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin asked the officiating crew a question that had been bugging him. 'So, who's in charge here,'" wrote Kahler. "As one crew member recalls, Tomlin asked who in the league office was responsible for answering his questions about officiating decisions and who made the final decisions on replay review. 'I have no idea,' the official told Tomlin that day. 'I can't tell you who's the boss or who's not. It's been so secretive, and they're just not very forthcoming,' Tomlin shrugged. There was a game to play."

Coaches and players have to walk a fine line when making any comments about the officiating that occurs during games, even if there was a mistake made. After a frustrating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, former wide receiver Diontae Johnson spoke up in the locker room about what he saw on the field. The result was a $25,000 fine from the league. It didn't matter that there was plenty to be upset about, including a blown offsides call during a field goal attempt. 

Tomlin, who's known for carefully crafting his comments during press conferences, used to speak out more about officiating errors. However, he has been fined in the past and, apparently realizing the futility of speaking up, chooses not to say anything. 

In 2021, the NFL changed the replay rule to allow officials to assist with making calls about what they saw on the field. This authorized crews in New York to adjust calls using video replay. The intent was to reduce the number of errors and improve the accuracy of the officiating. However, it doesn't appear to have solved the issue. The complaints still pour in week after week. 

Kahler added that in May 2024, NFL teams received notice that structural changes would be made to the league's officiating department. That includes multiple new hires "as a part of our ongoing Officiating Improvement Plan." The NFL declined to give Kahler a statement on the record, but the mere fact that an "improvement plan" exists is an admission that there is a problem with the current system. 

Steelers' Jaylen Warren Targeted By NFL

During the 2023 season, running back Jaylen Warren got hit hard by fines. Warren's fines were even more frustrating because they often came without warning. He wouldn't receive a flag from the official during the game, but sometime after, an envelope would show up at his door notifying him that he'd been fined by the league. 

Warren expressed his frustration over the fines, and his teammates spoke in his defense, noting that he had been playing for free for many weeks. He was still on a rookie contract, and at times, the fines were more than what he would even earn. Former players also spoke up in Warren's defense saying that they watched the video of what he did and couldn't find the illegal move at times. 

What do you think about the NFL officiating? Is it surprising that the game officials don't know who is in charge? Click to comment below. 

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