Update:

The league has responded, with VP of Communications saying the rule has been interpreted correctly and the penalty should stand, and with the head of officiating stating he has not been in contact with any team about the call’s legitimacy.

This information has been integrated below into our original story.

Too little, too late.

In the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, things didn’t start off well for Dallas. A sack squashed their first offensive drive and made them settle for a field goal. Aaron Rodgers methodically marched the Packers down the field for a touchdown, signalling Dallas would not be able to kick field goals to remain in the game.

On their next possession, Dallas was driving with relative ease. On 2nd and 5 from the Green Bay 37, QB Dak Prescott found WR Terrance Williams for a huge gain of 22 yards down to the Packers 15-yard line. Only there was a flag and an explanation that confused everybody. Now, according to analyst Michael Lombardi, the league told some of their teams it was a flag that shouldn’t have been thrown in the first place.

The too many men in the huddle call on Dallas for 15 yards was a mistake, the league admitted this to teams…sorry…. — michael lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) January 19, 2017

The Cowboys were called for an unsportsmanlike conduct call for having a player join the huddle but leave the field without participating in a snap. The problem was, the players weren’t even in a huddle when Brice Butler made it to the field and then left.

If in fact the league admitted it’s error, this is the proverbial salt inside the wound for the Cowboys. What we don’t know yet is whether the league said there should have only been a five-yard penalty or if there shouldn’t have been a flag thrown at all.

Spoke w/ 2 teams that talked to the NFL office about the huddle call and both said it was a mistake. No deception on the part of D, no call — michael lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) January 19, 2017

Other teams saw the call, called the league office for clarification and NFL said Dallas was not being deceptive,no call was the right call — michael lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) January 19, 2017

No one in the Cowboys organization has publicly looked at this as a reason for the loss, but it certainly has had many others in an uproar.

The NFL has responded as Lombardi’s tweets have obviously gained serious traction. They’ve gone on record via Michael Signora, league VP of communications, the call was correct.

Penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in GB-Dal properly called. Rule 5, Section 2, Article 8e has been rule since 1955 — Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) January 19, 2017

The league feels it has cover via the rulebook, but if they’ve had discussions with teams about whether or not it was an actual violation, it could be another mark sullying their transparency.

Here’s the rub, the rule has a note in official rulebook that seems to support Lombardi’s take of what was told privately to teams.

Substitution Rule applied on Butler call…. Read that note. pic.twitter.com/4uFSLLuFXW — Joey Ickes (@JoeyIckes) January 19, 2017

Note: The intent of the rule is to prevent teams from using simulated substitutions to confuse an opponent, while still permitting a player (or players) to enter and leave without participating in a play in certain situations such as a change in coaching decision on fourth down, even though he has approached the huddle and communicated with a teammate.

Further confounding the issue, head of officiating Dean Blandino has tweeted he has not been in contact with any team about the rule.

I have not spoken to any club about this call. Longstanding rule that was last called in 2014 Week 8 WAS at DAL against WAS #82. https://t.co/0W9r6js0mq — Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) January 19, 2017

Instead of sitting inside the Green Bay red zone, Dallas was marched back to their side of the field to face 2nd and 20. The Cowboys couldn’t convert the long distance and ended up punting. Green Bay scored a touchdown on the subsequent possession and raced out to a 21-3 lead.

Dallas mounted a furious comeback, tying the score twice in the final four minutes at 28 all and 31 apiece. Here’s the difference that call would have made.

The Cowboys were in great position to score a touchdown, which could’ve changed the entire complex of the first half and of the game. At the very least, Dallas would have a field goal chip shot, and Dan “Split’Em” Bailey was sharp on the day. That three points could’ve meant the 56-yarder nailed by Mason Crosby ties the score at 31 points instead of putting Green Bay up 31-28.

That rolls into Dallas having possession driving to kick a game-winning field goal instead of shooting to tie. There’s no reason to spike the ball with 48 seconds left, because Dallas’ primary concern is kick the field goal with no time left on the clock or go to overtime.

It’s an erroneous call that squarely impacted a key playoff game, but there’s no guarantee the rest of the game plays out the way it did if that drive ended differently.

The league makes these concessions every week, in almost every game. Teams submit plays they think the referees got wrong and the NFL rules on them. There is no solace to Cowboys Nation as the world prepares to watch Green Bay face Atlanta for the right to go to the Super Bowl.