Steelers Owner Art Rooney II Submits 100GB Of Evidence And A 60-Page Report To NFL, Accusing Officials Of Bias In 6-13 Loss To Browns And Demanding A Full Investigation

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – December 30, 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers have escalated tensions with the league after owner Art Rooney II formally submitted a massive 100GB evidence package and a 60-page analytical report to the NFL, challenging several officiating decisions from Sunday’s controversial 13–6 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Team sources describe the submission as one of the most comprehensive officiating complaints in recent memory. The dossier includes All-22 film, ultra-high-definition slow-motion replays, sideline audio, and advanced player-tracking data. It focuses on pivotal moments involving edge rusher T.J. Watt, veteran defensive leader Cameron Heyward, and late-game decision-making under head coach Mike Tomlin, arguing that repeated flags and no-calls shifted leverage at the most critical junctures of the game.

They really held back from calling anything on this to have a 9-7 vs 8-8 SNF game 😂 pic.twitter.com/dETASW8x7b

— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) December 29, 2025

In the strongest public stance of his tenure, Rooney attached a blunt statement to the filing:

“We’ve accepted tough calls and tough losses for decades. But Sunday crossed a line that deserves scrutiny. This isn’t only about Pittsburgh — this is about competitive integrity, and the NFL owes fans and players consistency.”

The report moves far beyond generalized frustration. It breaks down the game play by play, charting down-and-distance, formations, pass concepts, protection schemes, and defensive responsibilities. The Steelers argue that multiple decisions failed to meet a consistent standard — particularly in moments that directly altered field position and momentum.

Among the key flashpoints cited are a high-impact offensive pass interference call that erased a significant gain, a roughing-the-passer penalty that extended a Browns drive, and a late no-call on what Pittsburgh believes was clear defensive pass interference in the end zone.

According to the filing, one of the most damaging sequences came when a completion that would have flipped field position was wiped out by what the team calls an “excessive” OPI ruling relative to the contact shown on film. Later, the report challenges a roughing-the-passer flag on Heyward, labeling it a case of “threshold confusion,” and arguing the contact fell within the bounds of a legal finish. In the game’s final moments, the Steelers say early contact on a last-chance end-zone throw went unflagged, reinforcing their claim that enforcement standards shifted without warning as the fourth quarter unfolded.

Statistically, the report emphasizes timing over volume. While Pittsburgh ranks near the middle of the league in overall penalties during the 2025 season, the Steelers point to a disproportionate concentration of flags in one-score games and fourth-quarter leverage snaps. Against Cleveland, they argue, penalties overwhelmingly arrived at moments that extended drives or erased explosive plays.

Okay i’m sorry #Steelers fans.

This is an awful roughing the passer call.

These referees have to fix these flags pic.twitter.com/wOo4A3Ailo

— FirstDownMedia (@FirstDownMediaa) December 28, 2025

The NFL has not issued an official response. Still, league insiders believe the submission could reignite debate around referee accountability, expanded replay review, and whether additional safeguards are needed to address perceived bias in high-stakes divisional games.

The Browns left with the win on the scoreboard. But in a parallel battle over film, data, and competitive integrity, the Steelers have made it clear they are not willing to let the argument fade quietly into the next week.