The Detroit Lions were still in Dallas when an NFL official reached out to coach Jim Caldwell to explain the botched pass-interference call that many within the organization feel cost them a chance to win their first playoff game in 23 years.

Caldwell wouldn’t share details of his conversation with the league during his season-ending news conference today, but as his players cleaned out their lockers after Sunday’s 24-20 wild-card loss to the Dallas Cowboys, he made it clear that the way the Lions lost was almost as painful as the outcome itself.

“The one thing I told them is that we’re not going to ever make any excuses about, or create any crutches for, any wins or losses. And this particular case will be no exception,” Caldwell said. “But the fact of the matter is it’s a controversial call. I think that, without question, that it was one that was probably not officiated correctly, in my estimation.”

via Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press