Cincinnati, OH – October 17, 2025

When even a Ravens legend steps up to defend the Pittsburgh Steelers, you know something in the NFL isn’t right.

In the aftermath of Thursday night’s 33–31 thriller between the Steelers and Bengals, Hall of Famer Ray Lewis — the very face of Baltimore’s defensive legacy — has stunned the football world by calling for an official NFL investigation into what he described as

“a disgrace to the game.”

“No one wanted the Steelers to lose more than I did — but not like this,” Lewis said. “The Steelers got robbed, and everyone who watched that game knows it. Those calls weren’t just wrong — they stole what this team fought for.”

His words exploded across social media, igniting the hashtag #RiggedTNF as fans, players, and analysts demanded answers after two controversial officiating decisions that flipped the outcome of one of the AFC North’s fiercest rivalries.

The first came with just 2:52 left in the fourth quarter. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fired a deep pass to DK Metcalf, which was intercepted by Bengals corner Jordan Battle. Replay clearly showed the ball sailed well beyond Metcalf’s reach — an

uncatchable pass — yet officials refused to review the play. That possession led to Cincinnati’s game-winning field goal.

Former NFL ref analyst Terry McAulay slammed the no-review decision, saying, “That’s a play that changes playoff standings. If that’s not reviewed, what is?”

Earlier in the third quarter, a questionable holding call on rookie center Zach Frazier wiped out a key first down for Pittsburgh. On film, Frazier appeared to anchor cleanly — no grab, no pull — yet the flag killed a promising drive.

“That call was soft,” wrote ESPN’s Mina Kimes. “You can’t penalize clean blocking in that moment.”

By the end of the night, the penalty count stood at 11–4 against Pittsburgh — a disparity so glaring that even Bengals fans online admitted something felt off.

“You don’t have to wear black and gold to see what happened,” Lewis said. “You don’t cheat the game to win it. If the NFL ignores this, then the message is clear — fairness is optional.”

The league has yet to issue a statement on the controversy, but pressure is building for the NFL’s competition committee to review the game tape.

As Ray Lewis concluded, his words carried more weight than any rivalry:

“The Bengals got the win. The Steelers got robbed. But what really lost tonight — was the integrity of football itself.”

Stay tuned to ESPN!