Ravens Clash with Officials Over Overturned TD Against Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Following a narrow defeat on Thursday night, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson expressed his frustration over a crucial overturned call that contributed to the team’s 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in their season opener.

The game’s intensity peaked dramatically in the final moments. Jackson believed that Isaiah Likely’s last-second touchdown should have stood after the referees initially ruled it a valid catch. That would have left the Ravens in a prime position to attempt a potentially game-winning two-point conversion.

However, after reviewing the play, officials determined that the front of Likely’s right foot had grazed the white out-of-bounds line, thereby nullifying the touchdown. Jackson, firm in his opinion, stated, “I thought it was a touchdown. I still think it’s a touchdown.”

In the back-and-forth clash against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, this loss marked the Ravens’ fifth defeat in six encounters with Kansas City. Baltimore had the chance to pull off a dramatic comeback as the clock wound down. With just five seconds on the clock and the ball at the Kansas City 10-yard line, Jackson evaded pressure in the pocket before delivering a throw to Likely in the end zone as time expired.

Likely, in a valiant effort, managed to catch the ball while being challenged by Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton. The referee’s initial signal when both hands were raised indicated a touchdown, leading to a moment of celebration from Likely.

“The ref looked at me, I looked at the ref, and when he signaled touchdown, I thought it was what it was,” Likely recounted, expressing his disbelief after the call was overturned.

If the touchdown had counted, it would have brought the Ravens within one point of the Chiefs with no time remaining, setting them up for a potential two-point conversion attempt to steal the win.

However, referee Shawn Hochuli’s announcement closed the game abruptly: “The runner’s toe hit out of bounds. It’s an incomplete pass. The game is over. Kansas City has won.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid indicated he lacked a clear view of the play but noted that the team’s officials upstairs had confirmed Likely was out of bounds. “The guys upstairs saw it, and so they knew he was out,” Reid said, referencing the reliance on replay for the call.

Despite suffering an apparent shoulder injury just moments before on an earlier play, Likely finished the game with impressive stats, securing nine receptions for 111 yards, marking a personal best in his young career. His determination led him back to the field for what could have been a landmark moment.

The Ravens were tantalizingly close to ending the Chiefs’ impressive streak of 23 wins in games where they led by ten or more points entering the fourth quarter.

Addressing the overturned ruling, Likely acknowledged the need to focus on future improvements. “At this point, you just have to live with the call,” he noted. “You have to look on, obviously watch the film, see where we can get better to not put ourselves in the situation to leave it in the refs’ hands to be able to call that.”

Adding to the surprise over the ruling, Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith expressed his disbelief that the touchdown was overturned as well. “I didn’t think it was enough evidence to overturn it,” Smith remarked, indicating that he believed the decision should have stood. He acknowledged that the review process was beyond their control.