Coach John Harbaugh was never going to shrug off the call that flipped Ravens–Steelers. After Baltimore’s 27-22 loss dropped them to 6-7 and a game back in the AFC North, the head coach zeroed in on the overturned Isaiah Likely touchdown that would have given the Ravens a fourth-quarter lead.
Officials told him Likely’s “third foot” was not down before the ball came loose, turning a ruled score into an incompletion and a turnover on downs. Harbaugh referenced the earlier Aaron Rodgers review as well, pointing out the inconsistency on what is or is not a catch and who has to “survive the ground.”
By the time he met reporters again, his frustration had hardened into one unforgettable line. As Jeff Zrebiec relayed, Harbaugh said the NFL’s catch rule “is about as clear as mud right now. That’s how I feel about it. We had a conversation with the league office, and we appreciate that. It didn’t clear anything up. It didn’t make it any easier to understand.”
In other words, the more they talked it through, the less convinced he became that anyone actually knows what a catch is supposed to look like in 2025.
The sequence stung even more because of the stakes. If the Likely touchdown stands, Baltimore is kicking an extra point to go up one at home with momentum on its side.
Instead, the drive dies, Pittsburgh survives, and Alex Highsmith’s game-ending sack of Lamar Jackson becomes the final image of a loss that may haunt the Ravens if they end up just short in the playoff race.
There was at least one sliver of good news on the injury front. Running back Keaton Mitchell, who left the game in the third quarter with a knee issue after ripping off 76 yards on six carries and scoring, posted an upbeat message on Instagram:
“I’m good. We good. Can’t stop won’t stop.” The team will still put him through testing before Week 15, but his tone suggests he does not expect a long-term setback.
Now, Baltimore has to do what it always does under Harbaugh. Live with a controversial ruling, hope Mitchell is truly okay, and try to make sure “clear as mud” doesn’t become the epitaph for a season that slipped away on a replay.
