A PRISON inmate has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to force the NFL to stop the playoffs and let the Pittsburgh Steelers in over the San Diego Chargers.

Daniel L. Spuck, who is an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Mercer, Pennsylvania, filed a motion on January 2 against the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Spuck wants a temporary injunction over a bad call in a December 29 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers.

The Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop missed a 37-metre field goal attempt with 4 second on the clock, forcing the game into overtime.

The Chargers won the game 27-24 and advanced to the playoffs at the expense of the Steelers. However the Chargers were in an illegal formation during the botched field goal attempt and should have been penalised. That would have allowed Succop to take another attempt at a field goal from 5 metres closer.

The NFL admitted that the officials should have called a penalty.

Spuck wants the NFL to stop the playoffs, which have already commenced, by 1 week to 10 days. During that time he says either Succop should be allowed to re-kick the ball from where the penalty should have been taken, or have the Steelers play the Chargers for the remaining playoff spot, or simply declare the Chief's the winners of the game against the Chargers and allow the Steelers into the playoffs.

Spuck also believes he should be given $US25,000 ($28,000) in damages and have his legal fees paid.

However given the Chargers won their first game of the playoffs it is going to be a tough case for him to win.

Originally published as Prisoner out to stop playoffs