Green Bay, 10/20/2025 – In a shocking statement following the Week 7 NFL 2025 game between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers, legend Larry Fitzgerald acknowledged the role of the referees in the game’s outcome. The Cardinals lost narrowly 23-27 to the Packers at State Farm Stadium, but Fitzgerald believes the referees’ bias helped his home team avoid a more disastrous defeat. He publicly criticized the officiating process, emphasizing that the Packers should have won by a larger margin if not for the controversial decisions.

The game took place on October 19, 2025, with the Packers mounting a late comeback to win 27-23. The Cardinals led for most of the game but were overtaken by the Packers thanks to big plays from QB Jordan Love and RB Josh Jacobs. However, the match was dominated by penalties, with the Packers penalized more (8 times for 65 yards), leading to debates about fairness.

Fitzgerald, the legendary former wide receiver for the Cardinals with 17 seasons and over 17,000 receiving yards, shared his thoughts on his personal podcast. He said: “I’m heartbroken that the Cardinals lost, but honestly, if not for the refs, the Packers probably would’ve beaten us even worse. It feels like officiating bias has become part of football itself, and yet, even with some calls going against them, the Packers still stood tall and earned that win fairly.”

One of the major controversial plays was a roughing penalty on Packers linebacker Quay Walker in the first quarter. This call nullified a third-down stop, allowing the Cardinals to extend their drive and score a field goal, opening the score at 3-0. Packers fans argued this was an overly harsh decision, possibly a “hip-drop tackle” but unclear, giving the Cardinals an advantage.

Next, an offsides penalty on defensive end Micah Parsons in the second quarter helped the Cardinals score a touchdown with a pass from Kyler Murray to Marvin Harrison Jr. This play was seen as “undisciplined,” but many opinions suggested referee Alex Moore (whose crew throws the most flags this season) called it too quickly, showing bias against the Packers. As a result, the Cardinals led 17-10, even though the Packers outperformed on defense with 3 sacks from Parsons.

Additionally, back-to-back holding and face mask penalties on Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson in the fourth quarter helped the Packers advance deep, but prior to that, an illegal formation on the Packers was called, disrupting their drive. These decisions were defended by Cardinals fans, but Fitzgerald admitted they “saved” his team from a heavier defeat. Overall, the Packers’ undisciplined penalties were exploited, but many calls were seen as biased to keep the game close.

Fitzgerald’s statement quickly spread on social media, with Packers fans agreeing and calling it “the harsh truth.” Cardinals fans countered, arguing the penalties were due to the Packers’ lack of discipline, not bias. Many experts on ESPN analyzed that Moore’s ref crew is famous for throwing many flags, making the game “ugly” but not necessarily biased.

The NFL may investigate Fitzgerald’s statement, as former players must also adhere to rules on criticizing officials. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon declined to comment directly but acknowledged the team needs to improve to avoid relying on penalties. Packers HC Matt LaFleur was satisfied with the win, calling it an “ugly win” but deserved.

This incident reignites debates about the consistency of NFL officiating, especially with replay and penalty calls. The Cardinals drop to 2-5, while the Packers rise to 4-3, strengthening their playoff position. Fitzgerald, now a commentator, could influence public opinion, pushing the NFL to review its officiating process.

For the Packers, this victory demonstrates resilience despite facing “bias,” as Fitzgerald admitted. The Cardinals need to improve their offense to avoid similar defeats in upcoming games.

This article is based on sources from ESPN, AZCentral, and official NFL pages.