In the interest of being fair, CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore wears a lot of hats for the network and hasn’t been afraid to disagree with calls made by officials on the field in the past. For whatever reason, that wasn’t the case in the second quarter of Sunday’s Week 10 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.
With three minutes and 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter of the AFC-NFC showdown at Heinz Field, Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett appeared to have clearly thrown a lateral pass to running back Jaylen Warren. The pass was behind the second-year back out of Oklahoma State, who was unable to come up with the football after it bounced off his fingertips.
That’s when the play was seemingly blown dead, even though Green Bay came away with a clear recovery of the football. With the call on the field ruled incomplete, Packers coach Matt LaFleur wasted no time in throwing the challenge flag. And based on replays, viewers at home and NFL on CBS analyst Charles Davis came away with the conclusion that the Packers would come away with the football.
Well, the NFL’s Replay Command Center in New York and Steratore had other ideas.
Charles Davis doesn't have as spirited an argument with Gene Steratore that Cris Collinsowrth had with Terry McAulay, but the CBS analyst let the former head official that he disagrees, "vehemently."
Steratore really taking a stand here: "To me, it was just not enough to… pic.twitter.com/HjfadUy9Ga
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 12, 2023
“After reviewing the play, the ruling on the field of an incomplete pass stands. Green Bay will be charged with a timeout; that’ll be their first of the first half. They have one challenge remaining.”
“I’m sorry, I will disagree vehemently on that one,” said an animated Davis.
Steratore was asked to weigh in but ultimately didn’t provide an answer. In doing so, he opened himself up to criticism, especially as the former head official seemed to side with the official’s call on the field, despite it clearly being a fumble in the eyes of many.
“Sometimes these are really difficult in that ‘Stands’ world because of that angle, and when you’re looking at it,” Steratore explained. “To me, it was just not enough to overturn one way or the other, guys. I know you may disagree with me, Charles, a little, but I just feel like it was a tough one.”
In refusing to give a committal answer one way or another, Steratore unnerved fans on social media
Props to Charles calling out Gene, these replay guys will never go against what the refs decide on and they need to be called out on that https://t.co/a8y1nYzxTV
— Elliott B (@Elliott_B1993) November 12, 2023
How on earth is it possible for an NFL crew to double down on this?!? Pickett’s front foot is on the line. The RB hasn’t even made it to the line and the ball is still behind him, and lands about 2 yards behind the line. There is no explanation you can give me for them getting… https://t.co/F0WAZ4uMk8
— Tazim Wajid Wajed (@NFLHitman33) November 12, 2023
Ball CLEARLY goes backward
There is agreeing with Charles Davis here, or being wrong
— Steve Svekis (@Pac_Dozen) November 12, 2023
Gene and Terry are corporate shills. They need to be called out more often.
— Jon Peters (@JonPeters1976) November 12, 2023
The only reason they bring guys like Steratore on are so they can brainwash us that these obvious missed calls were somehow correct ones.
Product has become a total joke.
— GPenddak (@GPenddak) November 12, 2023
Gene Steratore has given us no reason to trust NFL officials from one call to the next. https://t.co/hEwuTSt4Jq
— Bruno Starzz's 12-seed Culture (@getsit) November 12, 2023
Those rule analysts are as useless as they come, all they ever do is just agree with what the refs on the field call.
— Matt Watts (@MWatts2389) November 12, 2023
Steratore defending at all costs. He's totally wrong here. https://t.co/6MDkxY7aLB
— Ethan Carter (@EthanCarterSW) November 12, 2023
Former official defending the officials, shocker.
— Jon Iaccino (@ji711) November 12, 2023
That one is @GeneSteratore being the company man. There is no look down the line, as CBS shows a look basically down the line.
— Dan (@drkoz23) November 12, 2023
Based on the general reactions — especially those in Awful Announcing’s mentions on Twitter/ X — fans were none too pleased by Steratore’s decision (or lack thereof) to determine that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field. That was when said evidence was right in front of viewers’ faces and clearly determined that Pickett’s pass was NOT a forward lateral
Good on Davis to call it out, though he didn’t exactly go to the depths that Cris Collinsowrth did with Terry McAulay on last week’s edition of Sunday Night Football. Instead, Davis left that to the fans, who took the 60-year-old Steratore to task.
