The confusion continues to swirl over whether or not Taylor Decker reported in as an eligible receiver in Saturday’s Detroit Lions loss to the Dallas Cowboys, even though video appears to show Decker talking to referee Brad Allen.
But if what ex-official and ESPN rules analyst John Parry said is true, it’s not Decker’s fault at all and would be Allen messing everything up.
Parry said on Scott Van Pelt’s postgame SportsCenter that he thinks Decker tried to state he was eligible, but that Allen was looking at Dan Skipper — No. 70, also an offensive lineman — coming in from the sidelines and only focused on Skipper.
"You heard illegal touch by 68, did not report as eligible. Yet you look at the replay and you watch Taylor Decker say something. It would be odd for him to do that. Typically he'd be in the huddle getting ready for the next play."
– Joe Buck pic.twitter.com/W0XLQjUK1H
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 31, 2023
after additional expert testimony, the verdict is in
in a non-shocking turn of events…
surprising no one…
the ref is incompetent pic.twitter.com/SHuBW55fON
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 31, 2023
That would mean Allen is at fault here, but Parry is focused on what Decker didn’t do. Some people on X (formerly Twitter) wanted the official blamed here:
This explanation from John Parry makes the refs sound even worse & is insane. He’s saying even though Decker reported to the ref it’s Decker’s fault that the ref didn’t recognize or hear him. SVP rightfully pushed back on Parry but Parry is defending ref for missing it. Unreal
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) December 31, 2023
Saying it’s the players responsibility to make sure the ref knows. As Van Pelt says – what’s he supposed to do? Jump up and down? He walks over the ref and tells him! Lions got jobbed so hard here man.
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) December 31, 2023
John Parry on ESPN blaming Taylor Decker for not making it clear that he was reporting
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) December 31, 2023
John Parry (ESPN’s officiating expert) is saying it’s the player’s fault (!) for Brad Allen somehow missing Taylor Decker reporting. Get this clown off my tv lol.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) December 31, 2023