NFL referee admits Minnesota Vikings mistake

Match referee Bill Leavy has admitted that he mistakenly penalised the Minnesota Vikings during Sunday's narrow defeat to the Cleveland Browns.

The incident occurred when Browns punt returner Travis Benjamin muffed a punt at the end of the first half and Vikings linebacker Larry Dean picked up the ball and took it to the end zone.

The officials correctly stated that the Vikings could not advance a muffed punt and awarded Minnesota the ball at the Cleveland's 26-yard line.

However, head coach Leslie Frazier threw the red flag to challenge the call and Leavy promptly gave a 15-yard penalty against Minnesota for unsportsmanlike conduct.

An NFL rule change this off-season says that the Vikings should not have been penalised yardage, but instead should have simply had a timeout taken away.

Ultimately the call cost the Vikings, who began at the Cleveland 41 instead of the 26-yard line, and were left to make-do with a 43-yard field goal by kicker Blair Walsh.

According to NFL.com, Leavy admitted to a reporter afterwards: "A timeout should have been charged instead of a 15-yard penalty."

It has not been a solid start to the season for the referee, as Leavy and his team of officials came under scrutiny foe a mistake in week one during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers.