DETROIT – (Michigan News Source) – Former Detroit Lions player Nate Burleson said that he can’t help but think the NFL is out to get his former franchise.

Burleson, who played the final four years of his career with the Lions from 2010 to 2013, made his comments on the Dan Patrick Show podcast.

Controversial penalties.

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Burleson’s comments came after the Lions lost 29-24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, crippling their playoff chances. The NFL’s referees overturned two apparent game-winning touchdowns by Detroit on controversial pass interference penalties in the final 25 seconds of the game.

“I remember when I got there … they were like, look, the league doesn’t like us,” Burleson said. “‘Nate, playing here is rough. Not just because we are trying to exorcise demons, but when the game is on the line, it tends to go the other way.'”

Burleson said he didn’t believe that at first.

“They said, ‘No, Nate, I don’t think you understand it, when it comes to the Lions there are certain games that just don’t go our way even though everybody knows they should.'”

“I remember questioning that, doubting that,” Burleson added.

A replay of 2010.

Then Burleson saw it first hand in his first game on Sept. 12, 2010.

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That’s when teammate Calvin Johnson caught what appeared to be a 25-yard touchdown pass from Shaun Hill to give the Lions a 20-19 lead with 31 seconds left in the game. The play was overturned and ruled an incomplete catch with the referee stating, “In order for the catch to be completed he has got to maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process of the catch.” This was the first time the “process of the catch” rule was enforced. That rule would be rescinded eight years later.

“I was blown away,” Burleson said. “I can’t help but to think about all of these moments throughout Detroit Lions history where our eyes see one thing, but then the reality is something else.”

Other controversial moments in the Lions’ recent history.

2012: In a 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans, running back Justin Forsett scored on a 81-yard TD run when replays showed his knee had clearly touched and he was down. The referees missed the call. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz threw a challenge flag on the call but the NFL didn’t allow challenge flags on turnovers and touchdowns because they were automatically reviewed. But because Schwartz threw a challenge flag improperly, the play was no longer eligible to be reviewed according to the NFL rules so the improper call was allowed to stand.

2014: The Detroit Lions were leading the Dallas Cowboys in a wild-card playoff game 20-17 with 8:25 left in the game. Lions quarterback Matt Stafford threw a pass to Brandon Pettigrew on 3rd-and-1 at the Dallas 46 yard line and the referees threw a flag for pass interference on Cowboys defender Anthony Hitchens.

The call would have given the Lions a first down on the Cowboys’ 30-yard line. But instead, the referees huddled and picked up the flag and waived off the penalty. NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino said the Cowboys should have been called for defensive holding on the play and the pass interference was “a close call that could have went either way.” The Cowboys ended up winning 24-20.

2015: Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers completed a 61-yard TD pass to Richard Rodgers as time ran out to give the Green Bay Packers a 27-23 victory over the Lions. The Packers got one more shot to win after Detroit defensive end Devin Taylor was called for grabbing Rodgers’ face mask. Replays showed that Taylor never grabbed the face mask. The Detroit Lions had led 20-0 with 8:54 left in the third quarter.

2017: The Detroit Lions’ Golden Tate caught a 1-yard TD pass with 12 seconds left in the game to give the Detroit Lions a 32-30 lead over the Atlanta Falcons. The referees initially ruled the play a touchdown. During a review, it was determined that Tate was down at the one-foot-line. Due to a rule in the NFL, because the play was overturned and not a TD, the rule states the clock must run off 10 seconds. That 10-second run-off ended the game. The Lions finished 9-7 and failed to make the playoffs while the Falcons made the playoffs with a 10-6 record.

2021: Justin Reed kicked a NFL record 66-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced over as time expired to give the Baltimore Ravens a 19-17 victory over the Lions. ESPN predicted the Lions had a 99.9% chance of winning the game when the Ravens faced 4th and 19 from their own 16-yard line with 26 seconds left in the game.