The Kansas City Chiefs received a favorable decision late in the first half of the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
On 3rd and 5, with 3:13 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and found enough space to throw a ball to Xavier Worthy. Bills rookie wide receiver and safety Cole Bishop jumped for the ball. It looked like Bishop may have received the ball while in the air, but Worthy managed to put his arm around him as they went down to the ground.
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Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy works for a catch against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The referees ruled that Worthy had completed the catch and that it was a Chiefs ball rather than a Bills interception. Buffalo also received a holding penalty, making it unlikely the ball would have been returned to them.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott questioned whether it was a complete catch. The replay appeared to show the tip of the ball hitting the ground. But still, the play was called a catch.
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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambles for a touchdown during the first half of the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A few plays later, the Chiefs scored on a Patrick Mahomes touchdown run. Kansas City had a 21-10 lead.
NFL fans were quick to point out that the questionable decision was in favor of the Chiefs.
NFL officials’ alleged favoritism toward the Chiefs was in the spotlight for questionable decisions in their divisional round victory over the Houston Texans.
Mahomes was asked about alleged favoritism during the week.
“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “…I’m just trying to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing everything they can to make the game as fair and proper as possible.
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“For me, it’s about going out there, playing hard, trying to do everything I can to win the football game and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play, and that’s what we preach here at “Kansas City.”
