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The Baltimore Ravens thought they had the touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a crucial AFC North game at home on Sunday when Isaiah Likely hauled in a Lamar Jackson pass in the end zone.
However, the play was ruled incomplete after Likely had the ball knocked out of his hands by cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
While the Ravens believed Likely already had the ball secured and across the goal line, the refs overturned the play after initially calling it a score. The reason? NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth explained in a pool report following the Ravens’ 27-22 loss.
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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh reacts during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 7, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
“The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down and then his left foot down,” Butterworth said via a pool report. “The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he had. Then the third step is an action common to the game, and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”
After letting the game sit for a day, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh still doesn’t like the answer to why his team didn’t take the lead with just under three minutes left.
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“Do I think it needs more clarification? Yes,” Harbaugh told reporters when asked about the catch rule. “It’s about as clear as mud right now. That’s how I feel about it.”
During the CBS broadcast, Tony Romo thought it was a touchdown, but rules analyst Gene Steratore agreed with the decision on replay review. He said Likely needed to get the third step in or perform a move common to the game as Butterworth pointed out.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)
There were several controversial calls in this game, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a Chris Boswell field goal attempt for the Steelers that the NFL admitted was wrong. The play ultimately put four more points on the board for Pittsburgh.
Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers also appeared to be picked off earlier in the game by Teddy Buchanan as they scrambled for a tipped pass in the air. But the officials overturned that call, which would have put the Ravens in wide possession to score a touchdown or at least a field goal.
The Ravens dropped to 6-7 as a result, while the Steelers are 7-5 and alone in the AFC North lead. The season is certainly not over for Baltimore despite their record as they sit one game behind Pittsburgh for the division lead.
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These two teams might decide who wins the division on Jan. 4 — their regular season closer in Week 18 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
