Transcript: Why NFL officials failed to reward 49ers possession on 4th-quarter punt

The 49ers got critical contributions from four rookies and outlasted the Seahawks in a must-win NFC West game at Lumen Field Thursday night, 36-24. After big bookend interceptions by Malik Mustapha in the first quarter and Renardo Green in the final period, Isaac Guerendo delivered a 76-yard dagger in the final two minutes —  thanks to a point-of-attack block by rookie guard Dominick Puni.

But, looking back, the game didn’t need to grow so many gray hairs on Kyle Shanahan’s scruff. In a series dictated by the turnover margin, the NFL’s replay system failed to give San Francisco (3-3) a takeaway the 49ers deserved. On the first snap of the fourth quarter, Mitch Wishnowsky’s punt clearly hit the fingertips of Dee Williams, the punt returner for Seattle (3-3), before San Francisco recovered. However, even though Shanahan beat the next play with his red challenge flag, it went for naught when referee Craig Wrolstad announced the original call on the field would stand. Shortly afterward, NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay narrated video of Williams touching the loose ball.

The 49ers saw it, too. In the upstairs booth, San Francisco’s vice president of football administration Brian Hampton was immediately urging Shanahan to challenge, the coach said.

“He said he could tell by how the guy’s hand moved that the ball hit him and then that’s all he saw, but it was, he can 100 percent see the ball,” Shanahan said. “But he said you could tell how the hand moved and with it being Thursday Night Football, I thought for sure they’d have a bunch of camera angles. So, once he believed that it happened, we threw it thinking we get some better angles and then they just told me that he didn’t.

“And then about two minutes later, two minutes later, I heard all the guys in the box freaking out saying they saw another angle and it was a fumble. So, yeah, they only know what they see. So, they didn’t see, I think what everyone else saw on TV.”

Upon request, the NFL has long provided the Pro Football Writers of America the opportunity to interview appropriate personnel following controversial calls. And after Thursday’s game, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson interviewed two NFL officials, referee Craig Wrolstad and vice president of replay training and development Mark Butterworth, on both the punt return and a facemask penalty later in the final period called on Leonard Williams. Here’s the full transcript of the pool report.

Henderson: First question is about the San Francisco punt on the first play of the fourth quarter. What did the officials see on replay?

Butterworth: “Once we had the San Francisco challenge, we were looking to see if the returner did indeed touch the ball. We went through all available angles, and we get the raw feed from the truck. And there was not clear-and-obvious video evidence that the returner touched the ball. After looking at all available angles, we made the determination that we were going to stand on the call because there was not clear-and-obvious video evidence. Once Craig made his announcement and they came back from TV, the network had an enhanced shot that they did not send at all until after they played his announcement.”

Henderson: Okay, and how long after the announcement? Was another play run before?

Butterworth: “No, they came back from TV break with the shot synced in the same box as Craig’s announcement.”

Henderson: Okay, so was it too late by that point to correct it?

Butterworth: “Correct. Yes, it was too late to change that.”

Henderson: Okay.

Butterworth: “And, just to be clear, they did not share that angle with us throughout the review process.”

Henderson: Okay. Did you get an explanation later after the fact on why you didn’t get that angle initially?

Butterworth: “No, but NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson spoke with Terry McAulay, their rules analyst, and Terry then went on air stating they did not send the angle.”

Henderson: Okay. Understood. Second question relates to the facemask penalty later in the fourth quarter. I believe it was on Seattle’s Leonard Williams. And question is, why that facemask penalty was enforced when it seemed to be a dead ball because of the false start?

Wrolstad: “So, we had a false start called by the line judge. And as he was coming in to kill the play – obviously it’s loud in the stadium – so the snap got off and players started playing like the play was live. And in the ensuing action, No. 99 grabbed a San Francisco player’s facemask, grabbed and pulled it. And in these situations where we’re trying to shut it down and action accrues, there’s a personal foul that follows that first penalty, we’re required to throw a flag and enforce the penalty. And in this situation, it’s called a ‘5-15 penalty.’ And so, the 5-yard false start is a simple 5 and then that’s disregarded and only by rule, only the personal-foul, 15-yard penalty is enforced.”

Henderson: Okay, and so that is only with personal-foul penalties? Is that correct?

Wrolstad: “That’s correct. Only when a personal foul accrues in ensuing action after a dead-ball foul has happened.”

Henderson: Okay, so in any other penalty, the play would have still been blown dead? Only the false start would have been enforced?

Wrolstad: “If there had not been a personal foul, then exactly.”