Chiefs: 5 referee calls sparking NFL controversy
The Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the NFL in recent years, securing Super Bowl wins and becoming one of the league’s most talked-about teams. However, their success hasn’t been free from controversy. Fans and critics alike have pointed out moments where referees’ decisions—or indecisions—appeared to favor the Chiefs, sparking debates over fairness.
From questionable calls that tipped the balance of games to blatant no-calls that went unnoticed, the Chiefs have often found themselves on the lucky side of officiating. Whether it’s their disciplined play, pure coincidence, or something deeper, the Chiefs seem to get breaks that other teams simply don’t.
Let’s take a look at five moments where refs made decisions—or didn’t—that left opposing fans fuming and questioning the impartiality of the game.
In September, during the Chiefs’ season opener, a strange sequence unfolded late in the first half. The Chiefs’ defense found itself in a personnel bind, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sprinted down the sideline, signaling for a timeout. The refs granted it.
Here’s the problem: NFL rules clearly state that only the head coach can call a timeout from the sideline. Yet the officials allowed it, providing Kansas City a critical breather.
NBC’s cameras didn’t show head coach Andy Reid making the call, but their rules analyst, Terry McAulay, didn’t hold back. On the broadcast, McAulay pointed out that Spagnuolo’s timeout should never have been granted.
This mistake gave the Chiefs enough time to regroup, forcing an incompletion and limiting the Ravens to a field goal. It was a momentum shift that left Ravens fans shaking their heads.
October brought another controversy, this time in a heated matchup between the Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Late in the fourth quarter, with the game all but decided, tensions boiled over. Chiefs safety Bryan Cook hit Trent Williams on the helmet while Williams was down.
Williams, clearly fed up, stood up and swung at Cook, punching him in the back of the head.
The refs immediately ejected Williams for the punch. Fair enough—rules are rules. But what about Cook? His initial hit, which instigated the situation, went completely unpunished.
Fans and analysts argued that both players should’ve been penalized for their actions. Instead, the Chiefs walked away with no repercussions while Williams headed to the locker room.
For San Francisco 49ers star Nick Bosa, facing the Chiefs is a frustrating experience. In their October matchup, Bosa found himself constantly battling Kansas City’s offensive line—only to see blatant holding infractions go unnoticed.
We’re not talking about one or two plays. By some counts, Bosa was held on over 10 different plays, yet the refs didn’t call a single penalty. After the game, Bosa reflected on the situation, saying, “Last year, for sure,” when asked if the Chiefs’ offensive line got away with holding. He also pointed out that the Chiefs’ linemen were among the most penalized in the league—until suddenly, they weren’t.
This one’s tough to swallow, especially if you’re an Atlanta Falcons fan. In a late-season matchup, the Falcons found themselves in the red zone, down by a score, with less than five minutes to play. Kirk Cousins fired a pass to Kyle Pitts, but the ball fell incomplete. Replays, however, showed Chiefs safety Bryan Cook draped all over Pitts well before the ball arrived.
By NFL rules, that’s textbook pass interference. Yet, no flag was thrown. Referee Tra Blake later explained that the official responsible for the call didn’t see any interference. Falcons fans weren’t buying it, especially since the replay made it so obvious. The missed call stalled Atlanta’s drive, and they couldn’t recover, ultimately losing the game.
The Chiefs-Bengals game provided one of the most controversial moments in recent memory. Trailing by two points with the game on the line, Kansas City faced a critical fourth down. Patrick Mahomes’ pass fell incomplete, seemingly giving the Bengals a chance to secure the win.
But then, a flag flew. Late. Really late. The call? Defensive pass interference on Bengals rookie Daijahn Anthony.
The penalty gave the Chiefs a new set of downs, and a few plays later, they kicked the game-winning field goal. Bengals fans were furious, pointing out that both players seemed to be fighting for position. The timing of the flag—well after the play ended—only fueled suspicions of favoritism.
Since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018, the Chiefs have been the sixth most penalized team in the NFL, with 659 penalties called against them, according to StatMuse (Data as per Sep 29, 2024). Only the Browns, Cardinals, Cowboys, Jets, and Bills have been flagged more during this period.
However, the narrative gets more intriguing when you look at the Chiefs’ penalty stats during their Super Bowl seasons.
In 2020, when the Chiefs broke a 50-year drought to win Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers, they ranked 18th in penalties with 107 flags. For comparison, the 49ers were even cleaner, ranking 20th with just 105 penalties.
The following year, the Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl but lost to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers. That season, Kansas City wasn’t as disciplined, ranking fourth in penalties with 105. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers, who won the title, ranked 22nd with only 84 flags thrown all season.
By 2022, the Chiefs were back in the big game, this time defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Kansas City’s top-ranked offense that year committed 87 offensive penalties, according to Pro Football Reference, but it didn’t stop them from lifting the Lombardi Trophy.
Last year, the Chiefs made history again, winning back-to-back Super Bowls by defeating the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. According to ESPN, Kansas City and the Tennessee Titans tied as the sixth most penalized teams during the regular season with 126 flags.
The theory that the NFL might be “rigged” for Kansas City peaked last season. The Chiefs’ dominance, Taylor Swift’s association with the team’s fanbase, and a string of favorable calls fueled the narrative. But the data tells a different story: in 12 out of their 17 games, the Chiefs were flagged more than their opponents, and they were well above the league average for penalties per game.
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