PACKERS

Brandon Bostick, who knows about heartbreaking title-game losses, also thought refs blew it Sunday

JR Radcliffe
Packers News
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Chris Matthews (13) recovers an onside kick that bounces off the helmet of Green Bay Packers tight end Brandon Bostick (86) as receiver Jordy Nelson (87) and fullback John Kuhn (30) react in the NFC Championship at CenturyLink Field on Jan. 18. The Seahawks defeated the Packers 28-22 in overtime.

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Brandon Bostick, whose botched effort on an onside kick against Seattle in the 2014 NFC Championship game has made him one of the more vilified players in franchise history, tweeted out his appraisal of Sunday's referee blunders that clouded both overtime NFL conference title games.

That particular tweet came in the early evening, referring to a missed pass interference call that should have extended a New Orleans Saints drive in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams. The Saints settled for a field goal, and the Rams were left with enough time to tie it and then win in OT.

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Later, a highly questionable roughing the passer call tainted the outcome of the Patriots-Chiefs AFC Championship game, which the Patriots won in the extra session.

Sunday marked the first time a championship game had gone to overtime since Bostick's play enabled Seattle to score a touchdown and take a 22-19 lead with 1:25 to play in the game. The Packers were able to scramble back and force overtime on a Mason Crosby field goal from 48 yards away just before the end of regulation, but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense never touched the ball in OT. Seattle needed just 3:19 to score the game-winning touchdown and advance to the Super Bowl with a 28-22 win.

A year later, Rodgers also never touched the ball in overtime after throwing a Hail Mary touchdown pass to receiver Jeff Janis to force overtime in a divisional playoff game at Arizona. The Cardinals won the coin toss and promptly scored the game-winning touchdown.

Patrick Mahomes can relate. The Chiefs quarterback also never touched the ball in OT on Sunday night after the Patriots cashed in the opening overtime drive for a touchdown.

Bostick wasn't the only athlete with Wisconsin ties who couldn't stomach the officiating Sunday. That included Saints defensive back Chris Banjo, a former member of the Packers.

(That last one doesn't have Wisconsin ties, but it's funny).