How the AFC was won in 2017 will forever go down in the controversial column of NFL history. On Dec. 17, 2017, the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots squared off from Heinz Field for the right to the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage through the AFC bracket of the playoffs.

We know what happened. The game-winning touchdown in the form of tight end Jesse James was overturned, adding to the controversial catch rule awfulness that has been witnessed far too many times. Steelers owner Art Rooney II recently provided his insight, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Surprisingly, Rooney believes it as the right call.

“Look, I think the Jesse James play was actually called the right way,” Rooney said. “That’s the way the rule reads, but I don’t think that should be the rule. I think that he had possession of that ball, reached into the end zone and had possession when he was reaching in. If he were a running back, that would have been a touchdown. Just having consistency in the way plays are officiated like that, I think we have room to improve it.”

For many fans, they couldn't disagree more. Some believe James had actually become a runner prior to reaching the end zone but most believe it wasn't the right call purely based on this one aspect: the NFL ignored the most important rule pertaining to instant replay. An overturn of the call on the field should only occur if “indisputable evidence” is apparent.

In the Super Bowl, two such plays were up for debate, but the crew and the replay people in New York did the right thing by defaulting to the call on the field. When it's that close and it can go either way, the play on the field needs to stand.

Much like the Maras in New York, the Rooney family and the Steelers have always been strong backers of commissioner Roger Goodell. They're a league first organization. Always have been. Always will be. Therefore, take Rooney's words about James' touchdown with a grain of salt.

Obviously, Pittsburgh lost the James game which pushed them back to the No. 2 seed and an eventual loss at home in the divisional round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Pats went on to lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.