The NFL downgraded referee Bill Leavy after his crew mixed up the rules of the game and made the wrong call, leading to a touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers that never should have occurred.
In the first half of San Francisco's eventual 34-28 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's Week 1 matchup, Colin Kaepernick was hit out of bounds on a third-and-6 play on the Packers 10-yard line by Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews, which drew a personal foul penalty for Matthews. However, following the illegal hit, 49ers left tackle Joe Staley got in Matthews' face and threw some punches, drawing an unsportsmanlike penalty.
The referees mixed up the ruling, ESPN reports, as Staley shouldn't have received a personal foul penalty because both infractions came after the play with Kaepernick standing out of bounds having not reached a first down. Since he didn't reach the first down marker it should have actually been a fourth-and-2 situation. According to ESPN, the NFL has stated that since the penalties were dead-ball fouls, the ball should have been spotted at the six-yard line and it should have been fourth down.
Since the referees flubbed the rule, the 49ers were given a second third down situation instead of it being fourth down. Kaepernick proceeded to connect with Anquan Boldin on a 10-yard touchdown pass, which at the time gave the 49ers a 14-7 lead with 8:57 remaining in the first half. Had it been a fourth down like it should have been, the Niners were more likely to kick a field goal, which would have made the score 10-7 instead of 14-7 but since they received the extra third down they were able to turn it into a touchdown drive.
The controversial play and call can be seen here.
According to ESPN, the NFL rulebook states: "Dead-ball fouls by both teams are offset at the succeeding spot, and the down counts, and any disqualified player or players must be removed ..."
Leavy admitted after the game that he and his crew botched the call.
"The down should have counted," Leavy said after the game per ESPN. "The penalties were both dead-ball, and they should have offset at the spot where the runner went out of bounds. And it would have been fourth down."
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was asked if he was aware of the bad call after the game.
"Yes. I mean, I'm aware of it now," McCarthy told ESPN when asked following the game if he knew about the mistake. "Hey, that's part of the game. The ball doesn't always bounce your way."
According to ESPN, downgrades work against NFL referees and officials when the league determines their future assignments.
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