The Kansas City Chiefs are used to winning, but their 30-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night has sparked a very different kind of conversation, one that’s been brewing for years.
For the 12th time since 2019, an NFL team finished a game without a single penalty, and this time it was Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid‘s side who benefited.
Fans were quick to pounce on social media, accusing the league of once again favoring the Chiefs.
“Everyone is so tired of the Chiefs. The bias isn’t even being hidden anymore,” one fan posted on X. Another added, “Can’t even watch the Chiefs play. The officiating bias is so clear and obvious. They get bailed out by penalties constantly.”
The frustration came after a game filled with questionable calls, or lack thereof. While Detroit was flagged four times for 38 yards, Kansas City went untouched, despite several moments that drew scrutiny from fans and analysts alike.
The most controversial came in the first quarter when a trick play touchdown from running back David Montgomery to quarterback Jared Goff was wiped out for illegal motion.
Referee Craig Wrolstad later clarified that Goff “paused momentarily in the quarterback position, didn’t get under center, but walked up and stopped like he was the quarterback. Then he went in motion.”
By rule, the quarterback must remain stationary for at least a second before motioning, meaning the Lions’ touchdown didn’t count. They settled for a field goal instead of taking an early 7-0 lead.
Travis Kelce and the officiating spotlight
The calls only got more controversial from there and Travis Kelce was right in the middle of it. The veteran tight end appeared to use the ground to help secure a third-quarter catch, but before officials could review the play, Mahomes rushed the team to the line and snapped the next play.
Later, a defensive pass interference penalty on an uncatchable throw for Kelce extended a key Kansas City drive just before halftime.
To many fans, it was the latest chapter in what they call “Chiefs protection.” One viral post read, “Another football season but the same KC favoritism from the refs. It’s always one-sided.” Others were more sarcastic: “Zero penalties? Wow, what a well-coached team.”
Even Taylor Swift found herself dragged into the chaos, as her relationship with Kelce became a punchline in the flood of angry posts. “It’s just because it’s Mr. Swifty,” one user joked. “The NFL is basically scripted at this point.”
Adding fuel to the outrage, a University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) study has resurfaced, suggesting that officiating may indeed lean in Kansas City’s favor.
Researchers examined over 13,000 penalties from 2015 to 2023 and found that postseason flags against Chiefs opponents were 23% more likely to result in first downs and 28% more likely to involve “subjective” infractions such as roughing the passer or pass interference.
“Our findings suggest that when the league’s financial health is at stake, rule enforcement may subtly shift to protect market appeal,” said Dr. Spencer Barnes, assistant professor of finance at UTEP and lead author of the study.
“The fact that postseason penalties consistently favored one franchise, while similar dynasties showed no such pattern, points to the powerful role of financial incentives in shaping supposedly neutral decisions.”
The Chiefs’ dominance under Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes has made them one of the NFL’s biggest draws, but with every close call or missed flag, skepticism only grows louder.
For a fan base already wary of Kansas City’s success, Sunday night’s spotless performance didn’t just raise eyebrows, it reignited a long-standing belief that the NFL’s golden team keeps getting the benefit of the doubt.
