Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Wednesday rejected claims he receives preferential treatment from NFL referees ahead of this weekend’s Buffalo Bills playoff clash. Pundits and opposing players criticized officiating during the Chiefs’ 23-14 win over Houston last Saturday after two penalties were called against the Texans for hits on Mahomes.
Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said it had been “us versus the refs” following the defeat, while Hall-of-Fame quarterback Troy Aikman was also critical of the penalties. Mahomes, though, dismissed those criticisms in a press conference on Wednesday, defending the integrity of NFL officials as “fair and proper.”
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“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said. “I just play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can. All you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. For me, it’s I just try to go out there, play hard and try to do whatever I can to win the football game and live with the results. That’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”
“You get new referees every year, you get new circumstances, and you never can really tell because every play’s different and that’s what makes the NFL so special.” Mahomes and the Chiefs are bidding to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls following victories in 2023 and 2024. The Chiefs face Buffalo in the AFC Championship game on Sunday, with the winner advancing to next month’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.
© 2024 AFP
