PFWA Pool Reporter D. Orlando Ledbetter Interview with Referee Tra Blake
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Atlanta Falcons
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Question: Could you explain to us why nothing was called on the play in which Kyle [Pitts] and Bryan Cook got tangled in the end zone, when the ball was in the air? [Atlanta 3rd-and-5 from the Kansas City 6, 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter]
Blake: “That is a real-time call that officials have to make a judgment on. From the angle that they had at the time, they did not feel that there was a foul committed.”
Question: Is that one that is reviewable by replay because it looks like he [Cook] is pretty much tackling him [Pitts] when you see the back angle view?
Blake: “No. Pass interference is not reviewable by replay.”
Question: So that’s it. There was no interference from the angle that the refs saw?
Blake: “You are exactly correct. That is a judgment call and in real-time, with the angle we had, we did not feel that there was a foul committed.
Question: If it was under two minutes, would it have been reviewable?
Blake: “No, pass interference is not reviewable.”
Question: Not at all. Ok. They just have to make that call on the field or not.
Blake: “That’s a real-time judgment call for us, yes. We do the best we can to make that decision.”
