NFL Admits Clock Mishap In Steelers-Chargers 'Monday Night Football' Game

The NFL has taken ownership of a clock error after refusing to comment on the issue Monday night.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell scored the game-winning touchdown as time expired to defeat the San Diego Chargers, 24-20. Bell’s run proved to be the final play of the game, but there should have been an extra 18 seconds on the clock because of an error by the official clock operator at Qualcomm Stadium.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora released a statement acknowledging the error and admitting fault by both the time keeper and on-field official responsible for ensuring time is kept correctly.

Here is the full statement, via Yahoo! Sports:

With 2:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, San Diego kicked off to Pittsburgh. The kick resulted in a touchback. By rule, the game clock does not start if the receiving team possesses the ball in the end zone and does not carry it into the field of play.

Because of an error by the clock operator, the game clock was incorrectly started before the Steelers’ first play from scrimmage following the touchback. That first down snap came with 2:38 left to play instead of 2:56, a difference of 18 seconds.

The official game time is kept on the stadium scoreboard, but it is the responsibility of the side judge to supervise the timing of the game. Had the side judge or any of the other six on-field officials noticed the timing error, they could have corrected it.

The game clock is not subject to instant replay review unless there is a timing issue on the last play of the first half or the last play of the game. The performance of the clock operator and game officials will be reviewed per the standard procedure for reviewing every play of every game.

The NFL — not individual teams — hires all clock operators, who typically have experience doing the job at the college level before working for the league, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Shalise Manza Young.