Golden Tate now fully acknowledges getting away without a penalty on the controversial final play of the Seattle Seahawks' victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night but says the suggestion that he was trying to cheat is unfounded.

"A lot of people would just like for me to come out and say, 'I did not catch that ball,'" Tate said Wednesday, according to the Seattle Times, referring to the 24-yard touchdown reception he was credited with instead of an interception for Packers defensive back M.D. Jennings, who got his hands on the ball first.

After the game Monday night, Tate said, "I don't know what you're talking about," when ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters asked him whether he had pushed off against Packers defensive back Sam Shields.

But after watching the replay, he's telling a different story.

"The evidence shows on the film. But I never had intentions on cheating. I wasn't trying to cheat. I was competing, it was in the moment," he said, according to the Seattle Times. "Things are happening so quick. I honestly didn't even notice I did. I didn't try to hurt him or push him down to the ground, but it happened. It was just a reaction kind of thing. ...

"As far as pushing the defender, I was caught up in the moment, playing football. At that point, it was just like backyard football -- find a way to get the ball. I didn't intentionally try to shove him to the ground," he said, according to the newspaper.

Tate estimated he picked up an additional 5,000 or 6,000 Twitter followers in the past few days and didn't need to see the constant loop of replays and deliberation on television because the few times he checked his Twitter account told him just how hot the issue was.

It wasn't always a pleasant read.

"There are moments where it's been tough, but when you have family in the locker room and in this building, it makes it easier," Tate said. "It hasn't been too bad. My feelings have been hurt a little bit on Twitter but it's whatever."

Asked later what some of those things were, Tate gave a few details.

"I've been called a cheater, I don't have any dignity, I'm not a Christian, a lot of hurtful things," he said.

I couldn't care less about him. With that said, if he did come out and clearly say that yes he it was an interception and yes he clearly committed offensive pass interference and clearly states yes the Packers won the game. I would respect him more.

I bet there are a lot of players who are going to trash talk the Seahawks ... "refs aint gonna give you this game you better man up"

I am moving on. Only now, it is with ZERO respect for Roger Goodell.

Does anyone here really think it was the actual bad call(s) in the national spotlight of MNF that forced the owners hands to bring the refs back? I doubt it. I think it was the public backlash, with threats from fans to boycott further games with replacement refs, and subsequent admonishments from the NFL's network advertisers. Money talkin' to money. Money won. Ad dollars pay the networks, pay the owners... etc.

How can a Commissioner NOT want to assume some level of control at this point? This is not going away because we have the regular refs back. He should have assumed ultimate authority as Commissioner on all game ending scores. The NHL does it. Don't we ALL want it to be RIGHT?

"Spineless" is right Cheesey.