Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell acknowledged on Monday that his team attempted to deceive the Dallas Cowboys with a controversial trick play in the final moments of the game. In a daring move, Campbell chose to go for a two-point conversion and potential victory as his team trailed 20–19 against the Cowboys on Saturday.
Following a successful pass from Jared Goff to offensive tackle Taylor Decker (No. 68), the apparent lead was nullified by officials who claimed that Decker failed to report as eligible—an assertion denied by Campbell, Goff, and Decker.
Despite Detroit’s insistence that Decker reported as eligible, Campbell revealed that officials informed him they identified offensive tackle Dan Skipper (No. 70) reporting. Campbell clarified that the issue centered on eligibility, aimed at confusing the defense by having three different players report.
He stressed that the strategy was to create uncertainty for the defense, with the hope that they wouldn’t realize it was Skipper (No. 70) who was ineligible. If Campbell’s account is accurate, it implies that the officiating crew was misled, as they insisted Decker did not report, despite efforts to obscure the eligible player.
Despite sending multiple offensive linemen toward the referee to conceal the eligible player’s identity, officials maintained that Decker did not report. The controversial call played a role in Dallas ultimately securing the victory.
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