Two days after his team was flagged for two key penalties in what turned out to be a game-winning field goal against the Cleveland Browns, Colts owner Jim Irsay said the league informed him the officials “didn’t make the right call.”
The penalties came at the end of Indianapolis’ 39-38 loss to the Browns on Sunday. Irsay’s comments, published Tuesday evening on social media X (formerly known as Twitter), followed discussions he said he had with league officials.
Irsay also said he believes the NFL should implement a review review for all calls — including penalties — in the final two minutes of every game.
The first penalty (illegal contact on Colts cornerback Darrell Baker Jr.) wiped out any potential recovery in the game, and the second (defensive pass interference also against Baker) gave the Browns the ball at the Colts’ 1-yard line. with 33 seconds left in the game.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero noted on Tuesday evening that the league office communicates weekly with teams about various calls, but team officials are not to discuss those conversations publicly.
Asked about Irsay’s comments during Wednesday’s news conference, Colts head coach Shane Steichen said his attention is focused on Indianapolis’ next opponent: the Saints.
“I’m just saying you guys probably know the answer to that and we have to move on,” Steichen said.
Prior to the 2019 season, the NFL allowed offensive and defensive pass interceptions, including non-calls, to be reviewed on a one-year trial basis, but that rule was not continued for the upcoming season.
Most recently, NFL owners rejected a proposal to overhaul the roughing penalty contest for the 2023 season.