A new bombshell study suggests that the Kansas City Chiefs are, in fact, getting extra help from the NFL refs.
Over the past year, the NFL refs have faced countlesss accusations of favoring the Chiefs. The latest chapter occurred during their “Sunday Night Football” clash with the Detroit Lions, as Kansas City was penalized zero times in their 30-17 victory.
The conspiracy theory has grown so much that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell even had to address it at Super Bowl 59 week, obviously denying that the officials are favoring Patrick Mahomes and company.
Those who dislike the AFC West club and believe the officials are biased in their favor will likely want to read the latest study from researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
A study by UTEP suggests that the Chiefs were on the right end of questionable officiating from 2015 to 2023, a stretch that saw them win four AFC Championships and three Super Bowls:
“By analyzing more than 13,000 penalty calls from 2015 to 2023, researchers found that postseason officiating has disproportionately favored the Patrick Mahomes–era Kansas City Chiefs, coinciding with their rise as one of the NFL’s most marketable franchises…
The study shows that during the playoffs, which the research team identified as the NFL’s most commercially valuable period, penalties against opposing defenses of the Chiefs’ offense were significantly more likely to result in first downs, cover more yardage and fall into subjective categories such as roughing the passer or pass interference.
Importantly, these effects were absent for the Tom Brady–era New England Patriots and other recent Super Bowl contenders, suggesting the phenomenon is unique to Kansas City’s emergence as a television ratings powerhouse.
The implications extend beyond football, the research team says. The study draws parallels to financial markets, corporate governance and regulatory agencies, where dominant players may enjoy advantages not because of explicit corruption, but because institutions under pressure adapt to preserve stability and revenue.”
So make of that as you will.
Then again, it’s important to remember that the Chiefs were on the wrong end of false start calls against the Philadelphia Eagles in their Week 2 showdown. It’s not as if the NFL refs are giving Kansas City the benefit of the doubt every time.
NFL Refs Make Bad Calls That Harm & Help Each Team
Yes, the Chiefs have gotten plenty of favorable calls and non-calls over the years, but that’s the case with every NFL team. It’s natural for each club to think the refs are against them, but the reality remains that officiating isn’t perfect, and that mistakes will happen unless they further expand replay review.
Remember, the Chiefs were on the wrong end of practically every borderline call in their Super Bowl 55 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And let’s not forget the questionable “offside” penalty against Kadarius Toney in the 2023 game against the Buffalo Bills.
And keep in mind that fans long accused the NFL officials of “rigging” games for Tom Brady’s Patriots and Buccaneers during his playing days. Such is life when your team wins all the time.
