KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, feels that the NFL referees are not giving him any special treatment. This perspective is also backed by statistics that tell a different story than the one circulating among some fans and players.
In the recent divisional playoff victory against Houston, the Texans were penalized twice for making contact with Mahomes, one of which occurred on a crucial third down that led to a scoring drive for Kansas City. This sparked a belief among some fans, and even among members of the Texans’ defense, that officials were unfairly favoring Mahomes, who is regarded as one of the league’s biggest stars.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes stated during a press conference leading up to the AFC Championship game against Buffalo, where the Chiefs will seek a chance to compete for a third consecutive Super Bowl title. “At the end of the day, I just try to focus on playing football. The referees are doing their best to manage the game fairly,” he said. He emphasized his approach of working hard to win and accepting the outcomes based on his performance and efforts, which is a core message for the team in Kansas City.
Interestingly, while there may be a perception that the Chiefs receive preferential treatment in penalty calls, the reality is quite the opposite. In fact, the Chiefs have accumulated 147 more penalty yards than their opponents over the last three seasons, which includes playoff games. Additionally, opponents have gained more first downs through penalties on critical third or fourth downs since Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018. In closely contested games decided by one score, the Chiefs actually rank among the worst teams in terms of penalty differential during the fourth quarter or in overtime.
The idea that officials might be favoring the Chiefs appeared to have permeated the Texans’ locker room before their 23-14 defeat at Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday. Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. remarked after the game, “We knew it would be us versus the refs going into this game.”
Controversy also surrounded Mahomes when he appeared to exaggerate in an effort to draw a penalty. While scrambling out of bounds, he was lightly touched by Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o and dramatically fell to the ground, which did not fool the officials who opted not to throw a flag on the play. This incident prompted criticism from former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, who was on commentary duty for ESPN. Aikman noted, “He’s trying to draw the penalty. Instead of just running out of bounds, he slows down.” Such moves have led to frustration from defensive players around the league.
Despite the surge of discussion regarding penalty calls and flopping, Mahomes remained composed during his media session on Wednesday. He responded thoughtfully to questions and quickly shifted his focus to the upcoming matchup against the Bills. “You get new referees every year, and each play is different, which is part of what makes the NFL so unique. I just keep playing the game and aim to win,” he remarked.
