LaFleur, Rodgers irked by late pass interference call

An officiating controversy Sunday left the Green Bay Packers lamenting the second costly pass interference penalty of the last three NFC title games.

"I was pretty surprised just based on how the game went," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said of the call postgame. "I felt like there was multiple plays throughout the course of the game that - they were letting us play. I haven't seen a replay but from what I was told, there was a tug there. Whether the ball was catchable or not, I mean I think that always goes into it. Bottom line, the official made that call and that is what it is, and we have to live with that."

With the Packers trailing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, officials threw a late flag on Kevin King. The Buccaneers would have been forced to punt had the officials not called a penalty. Instead, they received an automatic first down and promptly ran out the clock.

"I think it was a bad call," Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "I think there were a few opportunities for some plays down the field for us that weren’t called. Just surprised that call in that situation was made. You know, we get the ball back with probably 1:35 and a timeout with a chance to win the game and go to the Super Bowl. It didn’t look like it was even catchable. So, yeah, that was a bad call."

Two seasons ago, officials missed a blatant pass interference against the Los Angeles Rams, which helped them defeat the New Orleans Saints and get to Super Bowl LIII. The debacle led the NFL to make pass interference a reviewable penalty throughout the 2019 season, but the league revoked the rule after one season.

King was responsible for the only pass interference penalty of the NFC Championship Game, and only five other penalties were enforced over the course of the contest.

King also surrendered two touchdowns to the Buccaneers, who stamped their ticket to Super Bowl LV with the victory.