NFL Ref Jeff Triplette Hadn't Officiated a Playoff Game Since 2013, So the NFL Gave Him The Titans-Chiefs Game as a Retirement Gift and He Proceeded to Completely Blow It

So last night Jeff Triplette, an NFL referee since 1996, was awarded the Titans-Chiefs playoff game despite not having officiated a playoff game since 2013. There’s a reason Triplette hasn’t been getting playoff games and that’s because he’s horrible. You may recall he’s famous for blinding the late Orlando Brown in 1999 when he threw a penalty flag at his eye, sidelining him for four years. So why did he get last night’s game to kick off the 2018 postseason? Well, because this is apparently his final season so the NFL did it as a parting gift. How did it go for good ole Jeff? Horribly. In fact almost worst case scenario. He completely blew this call in the second quarter.

Triplette ruled that Mariota’s forward progress was halted during the play, thus ruling it dead, and no fumble occurring. I mean what are you talking about his forward progress was stopped? He got FLATTENED by Derrick Johnson and fumbled the ball. Plain and simple there’s no other way of viewing the call. Nope, Tennessee kept the ball and eventually kicked a field goal to get on the board because you can’t review forward progress (one of the dumbest things ever). KC should’ve gotten the ball and went into half still shutting out the Titans.

The rest of the game Triplette was atrocious.

And of course on Derrick Henry’s phantom fumble as the Titans were running out the clock, they ruled on the field that he wasn’t down when it was maybe the most obvious thing that he was. Refs make bad calls, it happens, and in today’s day and age of social media it’s gonna be blown up every single time. My point is why the fuck did the NFL just gift Triplette with an NFL PLAYOFF GAME all because he was retiring? The dude hadn’t officiated a playoff game since 2013! I feel like that’s not the most appropriate gift for someone that incompetent. Was the fumble that should’ve been in the second quarter a do or die play for KC? Well, they lost by 1 and allowed Tennessee to keep the ball led to a field goal, so you tell me? Obviously KC’s offense fell apart the moment Kelce went down with a concussion, but points are points. If I was a KC fan today I’d be livid with this Triplette shit.