Detroit Lyin' Billboards Popping Up Reference Controversial Call During Lions Playoff Game
DETROIT (WWJ) - Some unique billboards have popped up around Metro Detroit furthering the uproar over a blown call by referees during the Detroit Lions playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
They're being called the "Detroit Lyin'" billboards as opposed to Detroit Lion(s)-- and one has a Honolulu Blue background and a referee signaling pass interference -- another shows a referee's feet and a yellow penalty flag on the football field.
And there are about a dozen of them in the Detroit area as well as in Flint and Grand Rapids reports WWJ's Zahra Huber.
"It's a reaction from some, I'll call them rabid Detroit Lions fans, about a specific call in the Detroit - Dallas playoff game," Tom Carroll with Outfront Media.
The referee's call which Carroll is referring to is when the referee dropped a flag against the Cowboys for pass interference, and then picked it back up moments later.
"I'm a big Lions fan ... I thought it was an amusing play on words, it kind of summed up what happended to the Lions on that critical call late in that game," he said.
Tuesday, the NFL reportedly admitted to the Lions that the referees muffed another call, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"NFL admitted to Lions ... that officials missed a hold on Ndamukong Suh on the 4th-down conversion from Tony Romo to Jason Witten with 6 minutes left in the game [after the controversial Brandon Pettigrew play and before the Dallas TD]," Schefter wrote in a Facebook post. "Had holding been called, it would have put Cowboys in 4th and 16 on Detroit side of the field. Dallas would have punted and Detroit still would have the lead. One person said that this is 'even worse than the PI call/no call.'"
It even caught the attention of the president: "Even a (Chicago) Bears fan has to admit that - that was a little suspect," said Barack Obama during his stop in Michigan Wednesday.
By the way, advertising on a digital billboard costs $1,000 a week.
