ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter faced criticism Saturday for his report on the league possibly considering using replay assist when it came to quarterback slides.
Schefter wrote on X: “For everyone complaining about Patrick Mahomes getting too many calls, relief could soon be on the way.” The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was criticized for the late drop against the Houston Texans that led to an unnecessary roughness penalty after linebacker Henry A’to’o hit him just after he fell to the ground.
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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes slides against Houston Texans linebacker Henry To’Oto’o during the AFC Divisional Round game at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, the January 18, 2025. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
Amid controversy over the slide, head referee Clay Martin defended the call. He said there was forced contact with Mahomes’ “line” on the other unnecessary harshness call.
NFL fans were upset with Schefter for using Mahomes as a reference point. Still, Schefter used statistics to back up his point. He compared penalties between the Chiefs and their playoff opponents over the course of their eight-game winning streak.
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Adam Schefter of ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” on the sidelines before the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Nov. 21, 2022. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)
According to researcher Paul Hembo, Kansas City opponents have been flagged for disagreement with the passer six times compared to zero times for the Chiefs. When it came to unnecessary roughness, Kansas City opponents have seen four penalty flags and only one against the Chiefs.
Still, fans were outraged.
Actor Eric Stonestreet, a big Chiefs fan, called out Schefter on the NFL Network.
“He calls out Patrick Mahomes in his tweet, as Patrick Mahomes, he is the only one in order to benefit from a bystander call,” he said. “It has the greatest reach in the entire NFL and here it is out, implying and promoting this conspiracy theory that the league is running the game.”
Mahomes was asked about alleged favoritism during the week.
“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “…I try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing everything they can to call the game fair and proper as best they can.
“For me, go out there, play hard, try to do everything you can to win the game of football, and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City “
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The Chiefs play the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship.
