PFWA Pool Reporter Clarence Hill Interview with Referee Clete Blakeman
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Question: Yes, on the play (3rd-and-10 from the Dallas 16, 9:13, third quarter) I think the Cowboys thought it was fourth down, both markers said fourth down. Was it communicated that it was a first down?
Blakeman: “Yes, on the field it was communicated as a first down. Our down judge ruled that Cleveland had made the first down. He radioed that to me. I signaled first down, and so he’s got the ball down first-and-goal now. And then, what happens is Cleveland runs a hurry up and they go into the next play, so we kind of scramble out and they run the next play. That play was actually first-and-goal as opposed to fourth down.”
Question: Right. The Cowboys were playing like fourth down. I don’t know if Cleveland thought it was fourth down because they did go into the hurry up. Was it communicated? Did they understand that it was first down, though? I think that Mike McCarthy would have wanted to challenge the spot if he knew it was first down.
Blakeman: “What triggered it was Cleveland in a hurry up. So, we award the first down and we know we have first down. In the meantime, the down box and the chains, I don’t even think they had moved.”
Question: But they were still on fourth down on that play. Both of the down markers said fourth down.
Blakeman: “What triggered it all was the hurry-up situation. When a team wants to go quickly, we accommodate that and that’s what I guess ultimately led to the confusion. So then we counted the play so it resulted in second-and-goal. And then that’s when at that point the players were thinking it was fourth down. It was kind of a unique situation.”
Question: Is it your understanding that Cleveland thought it was first down or fourth down? Based on the play they were running, it looked like they thought it was fourth down as well.
Blakeman: “I think so too.”
Question: Oh wow. So both teams thought it was fourth down?
Blakeman: The crew was officiating it as first-and-goal. I haven’t seen the video on it yet, but they were transitioning really into a hurry up at that point.”
Question: Have you been a part of a situation like that before? I know there’s been a lot of hurry-up situations before the season started.
Blakeman: This one is unique.
Question: Thank you.
