Before the game began, there was much talk about officiating in the playoffs leading up to the big game. Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira admitted on an NFL Network telecast that the officials had failed properly to call hits on the quarterbacks in both conference championship games. Then, as though the ghost of games past had resurrected itself, the referee for Super Bowl 44 was none other than Scott Green, the referee involved in a controversial no-call that ended the overtime wild card playoff game between Green Bay and Arizona.

Regulation play at the University of Phoenix Stadium had ended tied at 45. Green Bay was in Arizona territory when Aaron Rodgers dropped back to pass and found Arizona defensive back Michael Adams upon him as he cocked, then re-cocked.

Adams stripped Rodgers. The ball, much as a football normally does, bounced crazily, hitting Rodgers' foot and bounding into the air and straight into the arms of Arizona's Karlos Dansby, who was escorted to the end zone by none other than Referee Scott Green.

The controversy swirled around the fact that Adams' hand, or more precisely his fingers, were wrapped around Rodgers' face mask: No call was made.

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