Pat McAfee adds more fuel to claims Chiefs are favored by NFL referees with WWE Royal Rumble comments

Pat McAfee adds more fuel to claims Chiefs are favored by NFL referees with WWE Royal Rumble comments

The Chiefs’ treatment from NFL referees has been a talking point all season long, and Pat McAfee poured more fuel on the fire Saturday night while commentating during WWE’s Royal Rumble.

Fans and even players such as the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons have complained about a perceived refereeing bias in favor of the two-time defending champions, and those claims came to a head again during Kansas City’s AFC Championship win over the Bills.

And former punter McAfee has now become the latest person to voice that sentiment.

While the Motor City Machine Guns  faced #DIY for the WWE Tag Team Championship, McAfee began complaining about the officiating.

‘Stuff like that can’t happen with the official,’ he said in a video clipped by Awful Announcing.

His co-announcer Wade Barrett then used that comment from McAee as an opportunity to criticize NFL referees, saying, ‘Well I’ve not seen officiating this bad since the last Kansas City Chiefs game.’

Pat McAfee criticized NFL referees' treatment of the Chiefs during WWE's Royal Rumble

Pat McAfee criticized NFL referees’ treatment of the Chiefs during WWE’s Royal Rumble

Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs have been accused of benefiting from controversial calls this season

Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs have been accused of benefiting from controversial calls this season

NFL officials are catching some serious strays from Wade Barrett at the Royal Rumble.”I’ve not seen officiating this bad since the last Kansas City Chiefs game.” pic.twitter.com/KEcR35h8jA

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2025

McAfee then stated his belief that the Chiefs had benefitted from some favorable calls this year.

‘I love the greatness of the Chiefs,’ he began. ‘But even some of those calls, I go, ‘What’s going on?”

McAfee’s comments came after Josh Allen was deemed to have not converted a crucial 4th-and-inches ‘tush push’ in the fourth quarter last week.

Despite the referees’ spot short of the first down marker, many believed that Allen had enough for the first down, including former head of NFL refs Dean Blandino.

The notion of the Chiefs receiving preferential treatment from officials also came up a week earlier in the divisional round against the Texans.

Henry To’oTo’o was called for unnecessary roughness as he and teammate Folorunso Fatukasi both attempted to tackle Mahomes as he was running.

Mahomes slid at the last second, causing the two Texans players to hit each other – with minimal contact on the Kansas City quarterback.

Insane. #nflrigged @nflcommish pic.twitter.com/GBfKTJuOgV

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) January 27, 2025 McAfee, Tyrese Haliburton (left) and Michael Cole are seen during SmackDown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

McAfee, Tyrese Haliburton (left) and Michael Cole are seen during SmackDown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Dave Portnoy fumes at ‘rigged’ Chiefs-Bills game after losing staggering $1m bet on Buffalo article image

Nonetheless, officials penalized the Texans for 15 yards in a move that was panned by ESPN’s Troy Aikman, who was calling the game, and the network’s rules analyst Russell Yurk.  

Mahomes, meanwhile, has previously dismissed the idea that referees are giving his team favorable calls or extra protection.

‘I don’t feel that way,’ Mahomes told reporters in a press conference. ‘I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they can and all you can do is go out there and play the game you love as hard as you can and live with the results.

‘So for me, it’s to go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based off my effort and the way that we played the game. So I think that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.’

The Chiefs will face the Eagles in the Super Bowl next week. 

Related Posts

EXCLUSIVETravis Kelce strikes fan with wayward golf sH๏τ as boozy round with brother Jason takes chaotic turn at star-studded tournament

EXCLUSIVETravis Kelce strikes fan with wayward golf sH๏τ as boozy round with brother Jason takes chaotic turn at star-studded tournament

On the banks of Lake Tahoe, Nevada, the fairways of Edgewood Tahoe South golf club presented a scene of serenity. That was until the Kelce brothers took to…

BREAKING NEWSArizona Cardinals legend Luis Sharpe dies aged 65

BREAKING NEWSArizona Cardinals legend Luis Sharpe dies aged 65

Arizona Cardinals legend Luis Sharpe has died at the age of 65. Sharpe’s wife, Tameka, made the devastating announcement on social media on Saturday. ‘With deep sorrow…

BREAKING NEWSSuper Bowl champion Ndamukong Suh retires from NFL after 13 seasons

BREAKING NEWSSuper Bowl champion Ndamukong Suh retires from NFL after 13 seasons

Super Bowl champion Ndamukong Suh has announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 seasons. The defensive tackle was part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team who,…

Patrick Mahomes admits he’s strongly against major NFL plan to shake up football

Patrick Mahomes admits he’s strongly against major NFL plan to shake up football

Patrick Mahomes has admitted he is strongly against the possibility of the NFL adding an 18th game to the regular season. While commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL owners…

Randy Moss opens up on ’emotional roller coaster’ while battling cancer as he prepares for shock TV return

Randy Moss opens up on ’emotional roller coaster’ while battling cancer as he prepares for shock TV return

One of the greatest wide receivers in the history of the NFL opened up about his return to his television gig after a battle against a very…

Furious moms call out NFL star over his ‘rude’ behavior at kids football camp

Furious moms call out NFL star over his ‘rude’ behavior at kids football camp

A video has gone viral showing the muted reaction of an NFL star’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction to the sound of hundreds of children screaming with excitement at his…