DeAndre Hopkins rips into NFL referees over controversial officiating in Ravens vs. Steelers in now-deleted tweet

DeAndre Hopkins was heated after the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14. The loss occurred after a controversial call that erased a late-game touchdown for tight end Isaiah Likely. Following the game, Hopkins wrote on X (formerly Twitter),

"@NFL @NFLOfficiating 13 years in this league, how many steps do you need in the end zone for a TD?"

The veteran wideout promptly deleted the post, likely to avoid any post-game fines and controversy.

According to Yahoo Sports, NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth and referee Alex Moore explained to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic the reason behind overturning the touchdown. They stated that Likely simply needed to get a third foot down before the ball was knocked loose.

Butterworth said,

"The ruling on the field was a touchdown. We promptly looked at the play. The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down. The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have. Then the third step is an act common to the game, and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass."

The Ravens didn't recover from the overturned TD and lost the game 27-22. It puts the Pittsburgh Steelers in pole position to win the AFC North with four games left in the regular season.

Baltimore Ravens' playoff hopes hang in the balance

The Baltimore Ravens have one of the toughest schedules to close out the regular season. They are in danger of not just losing the top spot in the division but also missing the playoffs entirely.

Lamar Jackson and Co. will travel to Cincinnati to play against the Joe Burrow-led Bengals in Week 15. The Bengals have arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league, and it could be a long night for Baltimore's secondary.

Next up is a home game against the red-hot New England Patriots. The Patriots are soaring under Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye. The Ravens are likely going to be underdogs in Week 16.

Their final two games are against the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Both games are away from home and represent huge challenges for Jackson and Co.