Patrick Mahomes usually keeps his cool, but the two-time NFL MVP was uncharacteristically heated after the Chiefs’ loss Sunday to the Bills.
Mahomes slammed his helmet in frustration on the sidelines, and he had to be restrained by teammates and coaches while appearing to yell at one of the officials after the Chiefs’ lost their second straight game, 20-17, to fall to 8-5.
The Chiefs appeared to take the lead in the closing minutes on a Mahomes pass to Travis Kelce and a lateral run in for an apparent touchdown by wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
But the former Giants first-round pick rightly was called for lining up offsides on the play.
Nevertheless, Mahomes didn’t hold back on the officiating after the game either.
“It’s tough to swallow,” Mahomes said per ESPN. “Not only from me, and football in general, to take away greatness like that, for a guy like Travis to make a play like that, you want to see the guys on the field decide the game. They’re human. They make mistakes. But every week, we’re talking about something… It’s the call. Just in that moment. Not for myself. To have a flag change the outcome of the game. I’ve never had offensive offsides called.”
Mahomes, like head coach Andy Reid afterward was upset the officials didn’t notify someone that Toney was offsides.
“If it does, they warn you. There wasn’t a warning the entire game,” Mahomes said. “And then you make a call like that in the final minute? Another game, we’re talking about the refs. It’s not what we want for the NFL. It’s not what we want for football.”
Added Reid: “It’s a bit embarrassing for the National Football League for that to take place.”
Referee Carl Cheffers, in a pool report, explained the decision-making.
“Ultimately, they are responsible for wherever they line up,” Cheffers said. “No warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they’re actually blocking our view of the ball. We would give them a warning if it was anywhere close, but this particular one is beyond a warning.”
Mahomes didn’t have his best game.
He completed just 25 of 43 passes for 271 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
But what he seemed most frustrated about was having a call swing the outcome.
“Let us play the game,” Mahomes said. “Then whatever happens happens. That’s why last week, I didn’t say anything. Let us play. You want it to be about your team and their team — and see what happens. I want to go play… then see what happens at the end. Then, I can live with the results.
“The flag today was tough. Offensive offsides. You point to the ref, you’re good or not good. You have a discussion. That’s the ref’s job. For him to throw that flag, no explanation or anything. I saw the picture. He’s barely offsides. It didn’t affect the play at all. At all.”
