Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was frustrated following his team’s 24-9 defeat to the Detroit Lions on Monday night — and his main issue wasn’t just the loss itself. It was the officiating, which he said left him “confused” and questioning the fairness of several calls.

“Third-down defensive holding that didn’t get called, and I’m still pretty damn confused about that double review,” Mayfield told reporters when discussing the referees’ decisions. “There were a lot of things in that game that were definitely questionable.”

Mayfield was referencing the strange sequence where officials initially ruled that tight end Cade Otton had gained a first down on 4th-and-4. After Lions head coach Dan Campbell challenged whether Otton completed the catch, the referees reviewed and upheld the ruling. Then, unexpectedly, they reviewed the play again and reversed the call, declaring Otton short of the first down — handing the ball to Detroit deep in Buccaneers territory.

“There was a lot of frustration after that,” Mayfield admitted. “It might’ve been taken out on [referee] John Hussey at the time, but I put a ton into this game, so when things don’t seem fair, I’m going to speak up — good, bad, or indifferent.” Mayfield clearly understood those comments could lead to a fine.

Pat McAfee Backed Baker Mayfield — Todd Bowles Did Not

Sports personality Pat McAfee seemed to side with Mayfield’s criticism of the officiating, posting on X during the game, “The NFL looking out for Detroit… LOVE TO SEE IT.”

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, however, took a more measured stance. Speaking about the unusual double review, Bowles said afterward, “It was an interesting call once they changed it, but we got the ball back, so it didn’t hurt us too much. It cost us some time, but that didn’t decide the game.”

Bowles had a point. The play indirectly set up Lions kicker Jake Bates for a 58-yard field goal, stretching the score to 24-9 instead of 21-9. Still, Tampa Bay failed to score again, making the sequence more of a footnote than a turning point in the game’s outcome.