NFL Referees Association: Chiefs conspiracy theories ‘insulting and preposterous’
One day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shot down any talk that the league’s referees are favouring the Kansas City Chiefs, the officials also took a strong stand on the matter.
One day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell shot down any talk that the league’s referees are favouring the Kansas City Chiefs, the officials also took a strong stand on the matter.
NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green released a statement to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero saying the commissioner was “spot on” in his comments on media day at the Super Bowl.
“It is insulting and preposterous to hear conspiracy theories that somehow 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officials are colluding to assist one team,” Green said.
The refs came under criticism in the playoffs for close calls that went in favour of the Chiefs against the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.
Bills fans, in particular, were outraged when quarterback Josh Allen was ruled short on a fourth-and-one sneak in the fourth quarter of the AFC championship, resulting in a key turnover on downs. Two officials appeared to disagree on the spot of the ball on the play.
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The Chiefs went on to score a go-ahead touchdown and will now try to win a record third Super Bowl in a row Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“There are many things that fans can worry about over a 17-game season, such as coaching decisions, player injuries, the weather, and, yes, even close calls on incredible plays made by incredible athletes,” Green said. “But you can rest assured that on every single down, NFL officials, both on the field and in the replay booth, are doing everything humanly possible to officiate every play correctly.”
Goodell did leave the door open to future technological advances potentially determining first downs rather than by simply a human spot of the ball.
If that were to happen, many Bills fans would see it as a second rule change in relation to a Buffalo playoff loss against Kansas City. After the Chiefs beat the Bills in overtime of a playoff game in 2022, rules were changed to ensure both teams get a chance with the ball in OT in the playoffs.
That game, Kansas City won the coin toss and scored a game-ending touchdown on the first drive of OT. Buffalo, of course, blew a three-point lead in the final 13 seconds of regulation to force overtime, with the Bills going into an extreme prevent defence.,
