Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce was fined $11,255 for taunting throughout Sunday’s AFC championship recreation victory over the Buffalo Payments, the league introduced Saturday.
The taunt that prompted the wonderful got here after a landing run by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes within the last two minutes of the second quarter. Kelce approached Payments safeties Damar Hamlin and Cole Bishop, aggressively nodding his head as he stated one thing.
A number of referees had been standing close to Kelce on the time of the taunt. However none of them threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, which might have price the Chiefs 15 yards after the play, both on the additional level strive or the following kickoff.
Nonetheless, the referees did throw a 15-yard pointless roughness penalty on Payments defensive deal with Jordan Phillips after he responded to Kelce’s taunt by headbutting the tight finish.
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Travis Kelce of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs reacts after a landing in the course of the second quarter within the AFC championship recreation at GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas Metropolis, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Pictures)
Phillips was additionally fined $6,722 for the headbutt, the league introduced Saturday.
The Chiefs received the sport, 32-29, and plenty of followers expressed outrage over a number of calls that benefited Kansas Metropolis in the course of the recreation.
Officers dominated Payments quarterback Josh Allen was stopped in need of a primary down on a 4th-and-short play within the fourth quarter. CBS guidelines analyst Gene Steratore stated in the course of the broadcast he believed Allen acquired the primary down.
That decision prompted backlash from NFL followers on social media, nevertheless it was not the one one.
Throughout the second quarter, officers dominated Chiefs huge receiver Xavier Worthy made a catch regardless of video replay exhibiting the ball touched the bottom.
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Tight finish Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs reacts to security Damar Hamlin (3) of the Buffalo Payments in the course of the first half of the AFC championship recreation at GEHA Area at Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas Metropolis, Mo. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Pictures)
Referees got here below comparable scrutiny in the course of the Chiefs’ divisional spherical playoff win in opposition to the Houston Texans one week earlier when a pair of roughing the passer penalties had been referred to as in opposition to the Texans for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was referred to as for roughing the passer on a 3rd down within the first quarter. Anderson appeared to push Mahomes within the chest after Mahomes had thrown the ball incomplete to tight finish Travis Kelce and was flagged.
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The second penalty got here throughout a Mahomes scramble within the third quarter. He had two blockers on a run and three defenders bearing down on him. He moved to his proper after which again to his left when he determined to slip.
ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman criticized the penalty and stated it is one thing the league has to deal with within the offseason.
Texans gamers and head coach DeMeco Ryans criticized the referees after the sport.
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Mahomes addressed the difficulty when requested by reporters Wednesday if he believed referees had been giving him preferential therapy.
“I do not really feel that method,” Mahomes answered. “On the finish of the day, the referees are doing their greatest to name the sport as truthful and as correct as they probably can. And all you are able to do is go on the market and play the sport that you just love as exhausting as you’ll be able to and stay with the outcomes. … I believe that is what we preach right here in Kansas Metropolis.
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Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce (87) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) wait to guide the group onto the sector earlier than a preseason recreation in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars Aug. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photograph/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
“You get new referees yearly. You get new circumstances, and also you by no means can actually inform as a result of each play’s totally different. And that is what makes the NFL so particular. I really feel like I’ve simply continued to play the sport, and I simply attempt to win. And no matter occurs type of occurs.”
Kelce refused to deal with the difficulty when requested by brother Jason Kelce concerning the officiating throughout an episode of their “New Heights” podcast.
“I might prefer to plead the Fifth,” the tight finish stated, jokingly referring to his constitutional proper to stay silent, when Jason introduced up the difficulty.
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