Lions coach Dan Campbell says official told him call on overturned TD came from New York – The Athletic – The New York Times

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Lions' Jared Goff catches a 1-yard touchdown pass from David Montgomery on a fourth-and-goal trick play against the Chiefs on Sunday. The play was called back because Goff never got set before going in motion. Denny Medley / Imagn Images
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Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said during an appearance on a Detroit-area sports talk show that he was told by officials during Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs that replay officials in New York stepped in to overturn a Jared Goff touchdown.
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The Lions appeared to score a touchdown on a trick play in the first quarter against the Chiefs on Sunday night, but the play was overturned because of an illegal motion penalty. The flag for the violation was thrown some time after the play.
Campbell confirmed to the hosts of “Costa & Jansen” that he was told the officiating crew received a call from the Art McNally GameDay Central in New York, the NFL’s replay hub, regarding the play.
The Lions coach’s assertion contradicted referee Craig Wrolstad’s comments after the game.
Wrolstad told a pool reporter there was no assistance on the play from the replay booth upstairs or the league office in New York.
The NFL had nothing to add to Wrolstad’s comments.
The call came on fourth-and-goal at the Chiefs’ 1-yard line.
Goff lined up under center with running back David Montgomery and tight end Brock Wright behind him in a T-formation. But instead of taking the snap from center, Goff went in motion to the left. Montgomery, a former high school quarterback, got the snap in the backfield and threw to Goff, who powered his way into the end zone after a brief bobble.
However, after a conference between referees, the officials ruled that Goff’s movement was illegal. Wrolstad explained on the field: “The quarterback never got set, therefore it’s illegal motion, offense No. 16.”
According to Section 4, Item 3 of the NFL rulebook:
It is legal for a T-Formation Quarterback to go in motion, whether he has placed his hands under center, on his knees, or on the body of the center. However, it is a false start if the action is quick and abrupt. If the player fails to come to a complete stop for at least one full second prior to the ball being snapped, it is illegal motion.
The Lions were penalized 5 yards and later kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead with 5:21 remaining in the first quarter.
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Wrolstad was asked why it took so long after the play’s conclusion before the flag was thrown.
“It’s my job to see if the quarterback stopped initially,” he said. “The down judge watches the player in motion, and we had to communicate between him, my umpire and my line judge whether or not he initially stopped at the quarterback position and then whether he stopped after he went in motion out of my view toward the left-hand side of the field.
“There was a little bit of confusion in our discussion about whether he had stopped initially or whether he had stopped at the end and what we were talking about. That’s why the flag came in so late.”
Campbell’s comments, along with the delay in assessing the penalty, feed into the perception the Chiefs receive preferential treatment from officials.
In last season’s AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs scored a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter after getting the ball back on a controversial fourth-down call.
After the divisional round, several Houston Texans hinted or directly suggested the Chiefs benefited from controversial calls during their matchup.
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