“Can I get these refs’ names?”
That was the blunt question posed by Kelly Stafford on Friday morning as the fallout from the Los Angeles Rams’ narrow 38-37 loss to the Seattle Seahawks turned from post-game frustration into a viral demand for accountability.
Stafford, wife of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, took to Instagram to highlight what she perceived as a suspicious level of “excitement” from an official during the game.
Sharing a replay of Cooper Kupp’s incredible toe-tapping catch in overtime, Kelly urged her followers to watch the referee’s reaction to the play.
“Never seen refs get this excited about a catch?” she wrote, punctuating her post with a thinking emoji. “Now the blown dead two-point conversion and illegal man downfield makes sense. Should we be looking into this?”
Kelly Stafford blasted TNF refs.
A pattern of frustration
The call for names followed a “ya, I’m petty” follow-up message, but the sentiment is far from isolated. Calling out the officiating has become a common theme for the Rams organization this week:
Puka Nacua: Earlier in the week, the star receiver labeled refs “the worst” during a livestream. Following the loss, he posted on X: “Can you say I was wrong. Appreciate you, stripes, for your contribution. Lol.” He quickly deleted the post, but the message was clear.
Sean McVay: Even the typically composed head coach appeared stunned by the officiating in a tense postgame press conference. Referring specifically to a controversial two-point ruling, McVay said, “I’ve never seen anything or never been a part of anything like that… we do want clarity.”
The disputed plays
The Rams’ grievance centers on two specific calls that significantly impacted the outcome of the NFC West clash at Lumen Field:
The Wiped-Away Touchdown: In the first quarter, a Rams touchdown was negated by an ineligible man downfield flag. Thursday Night Football rules expert Terry McAulay disagreed with the call on air, stating it “really isn’t a foul.”
The Seahawks’ Two-Pointer: A chaotic sequence allowed Seattle to score a two-point conversion to tie the game at 30 in the fourth quarter. McVay noted that the ruling was something he had never witnessed in his entire life around the game.
What’s next?
The 38-37 defeat is a bitter pill for a Rams team fighting for a divisional position. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the organization now looks for “clarity” from the league office regarding the officiating crew’s performance.
The “clearly ticked-off” Rams will have some extra time to channel their frustration into preparation, as they don’t return to the field until December 29 for a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
