NFL fans were once again incensed by referees on Wednesday as several calls went the way of the Chiefs in their 29-10 win over the Steelers.
Viewers and even players have criticized the league throughout the season for a supposed bias in favor of the two-time defending champions.
And that theory took hold again on Christmas Day, with fans pointing out several debatable moments in the game.
In the first quarter, Pittsburgh had a Jaylen Warren touchdown called back due to a holding call, which fans considered to be questionable. Russell Wilson threw an interception on the next play.
A quarter later, referees whistled a play dead for forward progress after a short George Pickens catch. While the receiver was pushed back, he was still moving his feet and looked in store for a big gain if the play remained alive.
And in the second half, Kansas City appeared to get away with one when Marquise Brown was credited with a catch – despite bobbling the ball and it hitting the ground.
The above play was deemed a Marquise Brown catch despite the ball hitting the ground
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce starred in a comfortable win for Kansas City
The Chiefs got the next play off quickly and so it couldn’t be challenged by the Steelers.
Not for the first time this season, fans suggested the Chiefs were being favored by refs.
‘Absolutely horrible. This is rigged,’ one wrote.
‘Because it’s the Chiefs…… the past few seasons it ‘appears ‘@NFLOfficiating sides with Mahomes and his team,’ another said.
A third added, ‘Replay assist should catch that every time. They >>chose<< not to.’
It was only last Saturday that fans fumed as a would-be Patrick Mahomes fumble was overturned by referees in a massive swing against the Texans.
Mahomes had appeared to fumble in the Chiefs’ own territory in the second quarter, with the Texans scooping up the live ball and returning it for a touchdown.
However, referees quickly reversed the call in a massive way – ruling the play an incomplete pass and advancing Kansas City 15 yards up the field due to a roughing the passer call on Derek Barnett.
Mahomes appeared to fumble during the second quarter of Saturday’s game vs. the Texans
However, the play was deemed incomplete – with 15 yards tacked on for roughing the passer
The linebacker did hit Mahomes in the facemask during the play, though it was after the ball had left the quarterback’s hands.
Fans deemed that reversed call ’embarrassing,’ while even players have previously taken aim at the alleged special treatment of the Chiefs.
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Micah Parsons slams NFL referees for favoring the Chiefs after latest controversial win
After a vital pass interference call went the Chiefs’ way in their win over the Bengals in September, the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons said Kansas City got an assist from the referees.
“That game was pretty crazy… a lot of calls went both ways, and I’m going to be honest… I felt like the refs did favor the Chiefs a little bit more,’ he said on his podcast, The Edge.’
The Giants’ Darius Slayton also criticized the NFL’s crackdown of on-field celebrations, pointing out how Mahomes, Juju Smith-Schuster and the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb were not penalized for performing a similar first-down celebration to him.
