ss The Week 14 showdown between the Packers and Bears has ignited a firestorm of controversy after the officiating crew was officially suspended and fined for a series of blatantly wrong calls that altered the course of the game. The questionable whistles sent emotions soaring, pushing head coach Matt LaFleur into a furious outburst — and this time, many believe his anger is completely justified
Green Bay, Wisconsin – December 15, 2025 – In a shocking move for the NFL community, the National Football League (NFL) has officially announced the suspension and heavy fines for the entire referee crew that officiated the intense derby between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears in Week 14 of the 2025 season. This decision comes after detailed video analysis revealed a series of serious mistakes, especially in the controversial altercation that made Packers head coach Matt LaFleur “go ballistic” right on the field. Packers fans are cheering as justice is finally served, while the Bears face unexpected consequences!
Let’s take a look back at this “infamous” referee crew. The game took place on December 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field, with the Packers securing a narrow 28-21 victory, and was assigned to the crew led by referee Craig Wrolstad. This is Wrolstad’s official crew for the 2025 season, including the following members (with years of experience as of this season):
- Referee (R – Head Referee): Craig Wrolstad (4 years) – Previously a field judge before being promoted, but now heavily criticized for being “blind” to obvious violations.
- Umpire (U – Referee in Charge of the Line of Scrimmage): Brandon Cruse (4 years).
- Down Judge (DJ – Referee in Charge of Downs): Danny Short (9 years).
- Line Judge (LJ – Referee in Charge of the Sideline): Brett Bergman (3 years).
- Field Judge (FJ – Referee in Charge of the Field): Jeff Shears (4 years).
- Side Judge (SJ – Referee in Charge of the Sideline): Frank Steratore (3 years).
- Back Judge (BJ – Referee in Charge of the Backfield): Rich Martinez (12 years) – The most experienced member, but still couldn’t salvage the poor decisions.
- Replay Official (RO – Video Review Referee): Gavin Anderson (7 years).
- Replay Assistant (RA – Video Review Assistant): Ken Hall (5 years).
This crew typically calls around 12-15 penalties per game on average in the 2025 season, but in the Packers vs Bears matchup, they were severely “off-balance,” leading to criticism from fans and experts. Particularly, with about 3:41 left in the second quarter – when the Packers were leading 7-0 – a “chippy” altercation typical of the NFC North derby occurred between Bears WR Luther Burden III and Packers CB Keisean Nixon. Video analysis clearly shows Burden as the instigator: He grabbed Nixon by the neck (choke) and possibly punched him (punch), while Nixon only shoved back in self-defense. However, the referees only penalized the Packers for “unnecessary roughness” (unnecessary roughness), awarding the Bears 15 yards and a free first down, allowing them to continue their drive!
This was a fatal wrong decision: Burden and the Bears should have received a heavy penalty for the initial aggressive action, possibly even an ejection. Instead, the Packers were disadvantaged, nearly turning the game upside down. Head coach Matt LaFleur – known for his calm demeanor – couldn’t hold back, rushing in to argue fiercely with the referees right on the sideline. From backstage video, lip-reading shows LaFleur yelling: “Someone threw a punch!” His furious reaction was completely justified, as this decision not only affected the drive but also heated up the long-standing Packers-Bears rivalry, already full of clashes.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 7, 2025
🚨🚨FIGHT ALERT🚨🚨
A FIGHT HAS BROKEN OUT BETWEEN THE GREEN BAY #PACKERS AND CHICAGO #BEARS.
Things always get chippy between NFC North teams.
Only Green Bay was penalized for the fight and coach Matt LaFleur was absolutely livid with the refs.
pic.twitter.com/QhfT4r34IH— MLFootball (@MLFootball) December 7, 2025
After the game, the NFL launched an emergency investigation based on video from FOX NFL and posts on X (such as from @MLFootball), where the Packers fan community criticized the referees as “biased,” while Bears fans tried to defend them. The investigation results confirmed: Burden instigated, and the referee crew completely missed it, leading to an “unforgivable” mistake. The outcome? The NFL has officially suspended the entire crew for at least 2 weeks (no participation in upcoming games), along with fines up to $50,000 per member – a record penalty to serve as a deterrent! Additionally, the NFL is considering further fines or suspensions for Burden and Nixon, but clearly, the Bears were the ones who “got away” initially.
This incident not only highlights refereeing issues in the NFL but also proves that HLV LaFleur’s reaction was entirely correct. The Packers won the game thanks to Nixon’s miraculous intercept in the end zone at the end of the match, but without the refereeing errors, they might have won more easily. NFL fans are demanding more fairness – what do you think about this decision? Share your thoughts below!
