PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin have officially filed a formal complaint with the NFL following their 35–25 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium, October 27, 2025, citing a string of “outrageous and game-altering” officiating errors by referee Clay Martin’s crew. The complaint, confirmed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, centers on multiple missed calls—most notably a blatant defensive offsides by Packers EDGE Rashan Gary—that Tomlin claims “stole momentum” and handed Green Bay the comeback victory. “We’re not whining; we’re demanding accountability,” Tomlin said in a fiery postgame presser, echoing the frustrations of Steelers owner Art Rooney II’s earlier $128 million lawsuit threat. “This officiating was a disgrace, and the NFL needs to answer for it—now.”
The flashpoint came on a critical third-and-8 in the third quarter, with Pittsburgh leading 16–14. As Aaron Rodgers (24-of-36, 219 yards, 2 TDs) barked cadence, Gary and two Packers linemen visibly jumped offsides, but no flag was thrown despite clear replay evidence. Rodgers’ 45-yard deep ball to Roman Wilson fell incomplete, forcing a punt that gifted Green Bay a short field. Packers QB Jordan Love (29-of-37, 360 yards, 3 TDs, 134.4 rating) capitalized with a 59-yard TD bomb to TE Tucker Kraft, sparking a 28-point second-half onslaught that erased Pittsburgh’s 16–7 halftime lead. “That offsides was textbook—Gary was in our backfield before the snap,” Tomlin fumed. “It’s a free play, maybe a score. Instead, we’re punting, and they’re partying. That’s not football; it’s robbery.”
Other grievances in the complaint include a missed pass interference call on Packers CB Carrington Valentine, who grabbed DK Metcalf on a second-quarter red-zone fade, stalling a Steelers scoring drive, and a questionable fumble ruling on Rodgers’ intentional grounder that briefly gave Green Bay possession (overturned on review, but momentum was lost). The game saw 14 penalties (8 on Pittsburgh, 75 yards), but Tomlin’s filing highlights “selective enforcement” favoring Green Bay. “We outplayed them early, had them reeling,” he said. “One call flips the game, and we’re chasing. That’s not on us—it’s on Martin.”
Green Bay’s victory was powered by Love’s 20 consecutive completions (tying Brett Favre’s franchise record), Kraft’s 7 catches for 143 yards and 2 TDs, and Rashan Gary’s two sacks on Rodgers. RB Josh Jacobs (94 yards) and rookie Savion Williams’ 8-yard TD sealed the rout, pushing the Packers to 5–1–1 atop the NFC North. Pittsburgh (4–3) saw their AFC North lead shrink, with Rodgers’ late TD to Wilson offering little consolation. X exploded with #RefsScrewedSteelers trending at 160K posts, fans sharing slo-mo clips captioned “Martin rigged it!” Packers fans countered with #LoveRules, celebrating their QB’s lifetime contract announced hours later.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur dismissed the complaint as “desperate noise.” “We won because we executed—Love was surgical, Kraft was unstoppable,” he said. “Tomlin’s deflecting from his secondary’s collapse.” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s office confirmed the complaint, stating, “All Week 8 officiating is under review, but we won’t comment further.” Analysts are torn: ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky backed Tomlin, noting “17 overturned calls league-wide this week scream inconsistency,” while CBS’s Jay Glazer cautioned against “escalating ref wars.”
For the Steelers, the loss stings doubly against Rodgers’ former team, and Tomlin’s complaint—paired with his PED test demand on Love—signals a franchise fed up. As the trade deadline (Nov. 4) nears, Pittsburgh eyes secondary help, but their fight with the refs takes center stage. Will the NFL suspend Martin or dismiss Tomlin’s plea? Steeler Nation demands justice, while Green Bay rides high into their bye. This officiating saga is far from over.
