Whereas the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs proceed preparations for Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the back-to-back champions can not appear to flee the chatter about NFL referees.
The controversy on whether or not the Chiefs have benefited from favoritism from sport officers has seemingly raged on for months. Earlier this week in New Orleans, the Tremendous Bowl LIX host metropolis, league Commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed claims that officiating crews are biased in favor of the Chiefs. Goodell described the allegations as “ridiculous.”
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, talks with a referee earlier than an NFL wild card playoff soccer sport between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Picture/Ross D. Franklin)
“That’s a ridiculous principle for anybody who would possibly take it severely,” Goodell stated Monday. “It displays a variety of the followers’ ardour, and I feel it is also a reminder for us how essential officiating is. And I feel the women and men that officiate within the NFL are excellent.”
The union representing NFL officers later launched an announcement thanking Goodell and known as allegations that officiating crews are biased in favor of the Chiefs or some other workforce “insulting and preposterous.”
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“Commissioner Goodell’s feedback that it’s ‘ridiculous’ to presume that NFL officers will not be doing all the pieces potential to make the fitting name on each play is spot on,” Inexperienced stated. “Officiating crews don’t work the identical workforce greater than twice every common season. It’s insulting and preposterous to listen to conspiracy theories that by some means 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officers are colluding to help one workforce.”
Referee Scott Inexperienced waits for play to renew in the course of the 2014 Professional Bowl at Aloha Stadium on Jan. 26, 2014 in Honolulu. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Pictures)
Chiefs proprietor Clark Hunt additionally shrugged off the concept the franchise has gotten preferential remedy from referees, saying you “virtually should snort at” the thought.
Coming again late and pulling off shut wins appeared to have been a trademark of the Chiefs’ season. Within the AFC championship sport victory over the Buffalo Payments, controversy erupted shortly after referees dominated quarterback Josh Allen inches brief of a vital first down within the fourth quarter.
Nevertheless, a deeper take a look at all of the penalties involving Kansas Metropolis exhibits no indicators of systematic bias. The Chiefs have been penalized for 120 extra yards than their opponents within the common season and playoffs for the reason that begin of the 2022 playoffs.
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Inexperienced tried to ease followers’ considerations by saying referees are dedicated to “doing all the pieces humanly potential” to get calls proper.
“There are lots of issues that followers can fear about over a 17-game season, corresponding to teaching choices, participant accidents, the climate and, sure, even shut calls on unimaginable performs made by unimaginable athletes,” Inexperienced stated. “However you may relaxation assured that on each single down, NFL officers, each on the sphere and within the replay sales space, are doing all the pieces humanly potential to officiate each play appropriately.”
The Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles meet within the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
FOX’s Tremendous Bowl protection begins at 1 p.m. ET. Protection can be streamed dwell on Tubi for the primary time.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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