Replays clearly showed Seahawks punt returner Dee Williams fumbling the punt due to the ball grazing his fingers, allowing 49ers linebacker Jalen Graham to recover. Head coach Kyle Shanahan challenged the play, but officials ruled that the ball had not touched Williams, allowing Seattle to retain possession.
To add insult to injury, the 49ers were also charged a timeout when the play stood upon review.
So, why wasn't the call reversed when it appeared evident to fans watching at home? According to NFL VP of Replay Training and Development Mark Butterworth, the officiating crew didn't receive the same enhanced replay angle that aired on television.
"Once we had the San Francisco challenge, we were looking to see if the returner did indeed touch the ball," Butterworth explained to pool reporter Brady Henderson after the game via Pro Football Talk. "We went through all available angles, and we get the raw feed from the truck. And there was not clear and obvious video evidence that the returner touched the ball.
"After looking at all available angles, we made the determination that we were going to stand on the call because there was not clear and obvious video evidence. Once [referee] Craig [Wrolstad] made his announcement and they came back from TV, the network had an enhanced shot that they did not send at all until after they played his announcement."
49ers VP of Football Administration Brian Hampton informed Shanahan that the ball had likely touched Williams, prompting Shanahan to challenge the call.
"He said you could tell how the hand moved," Shanahan said post-game. "And with it being Thursday Night Football, I thought for sure they'd have a bunch of camera angles. Once he believed that it happened, we threw it (the challenge flag), thinking we'd get some better angles. And then they just told me that he didn't. And then, about two minutes later, I heard all the guys in the box freaking out, saying they saw another angle, and it was a fumble."
Shanahan added, "They (the officials) only know what they see. So they didn't see, I think, what everyone else saw on TV."
If the call had been overturned, the 49ers would have taken possession in the red zone. Understandably, fans were frustrated by the blown call, especially given how the team's divisional games have played out this season.
The 49ers ultimately triumphed over the Seahawks, 36-24, improving their season record to 3-3. Next, they'll face the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, October 20.
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