Packers coach Mike McCarthy contacts replacement referee

Green Bay, WI, United States (4E Sports) – Despite costing him a game, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy has reached out to the replacement official who whistled the controversial call against the Seattle Seahawks.

Wayne Elliott told Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” that McCarthy called him last week after his controversial decision to award Golden Tate and the Seattle a game-winning touchdown Sept. 24.

Elliott made the decision despite repeated replays showed that Packers defensive back M.D. Jennings appeared to have been intercepted the Hail Mary pass.

“He called me at my house last week because he had heard I was having a rough week with all the calls and everything,” Elliott said. “Wanted me to know that he thought what I did — controversial and maybe he didn’t agree with it — but he thought I handled it with class.”

Though league deny it, Elliott’s controversial call spurred the NFL to reach an agreement with regular officials,

When asked if he would stand by his earlier call after watching the replay, Elliott replied: “I’d probably call interception. I learned a rule by screwing up the rule.”

Elliott explained that during training, he was told that “you don’t really call interference on a Hail Mary. … You just let it go.”

The league later issued a statement after the game saying that Tate should have called offensive pass interference on the play.

Despite all the controversy, Elliott would not trade the experience of being an NFL referee. “I had the time of my life,” he said.

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