Refs Admit Error in Seahawks Super Bowl

Seattle Seahawk fans have long grumbled about the questionable referees during their teams Super Bowl appearance in 2006. NFL referee Bill Leavy admitted to blown call that cost the Seattle Seahawks the 2006 Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The officiating was a bit biased in favor of the Steelers that day and ruined plenty of the momentum that the Seahawks could have gained.

While most fans noticed that the officials were the main element in the Steelers victory that day, it is good to hear that errors were owned up to.  Sometimes a loss is a loss but when you’re battling another team and the refs it just makes it that much harder.

“It was a tough thing for me,” he said. “I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game and as an official, you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights. I think about it constantly. I’ll go to my grave wishing that I’d been better. I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn’t good enough.

“When we make mistakes, you’ve got to step up and own them. It’s something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately, when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl, it’s difficult.”

Leavy’s confessional was about only two plays in the fourth quarter: a dubious holding call against tackle Sean Locklear that took the Seahawks from a first down at the 1-yard line to the 29; and the absolutely absurd call of a low block on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck when he was attempting a tackle on an interception return. [via]

While it’s good to see a ref take accountability (even if it’s years later) it’s still sad to see that happen in the NFL. Sadly, the phantom Ben Roethlisberger TD still stands as it was reviewed and kept.