Mahomes Dismisses Claims of Favoritism as Chiefs Prepare for AFC Championship
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Houston Texans might have their suspicions about Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs getting a little extra love from the referees, but Mahomes himself is having none of it. As the Chiefs gear up for their AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium, Mahomes was quick to set the record straight.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can. And all you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. … I think that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”
He continued, “You get new referees every year, you get new circumstances, and you never can really tell because every play’s different and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I’ve just continued to play the game, and I just try to win, and whatever happens kind of happens.”
Last week’s divisional round game against the Texans saw the Chiefs benefit from two penalties for hits on Mahomes, both of which occurred during scoring drives. One of these penalties came on a crucial third down, extending the drive for the Chiefs.
Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr expressed his frustration after the 23-14 loss, saying, “We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game.”
The Chiefs and Bills have carved out a fierce rivalry in recent years, meeting in the playoffs four times in the last five seasons, including two AFC Championship Games. While the Chiefs have triumphed in the playoff encounters, the Bills have had the upper hand in the regular season, winning their last four matchups.
In fact, the Bills handed the Chiefs one of their two losses this season, with a 30-21 victory in Week 11 in Buffalo.
“It’s just two really good football teams going up against each other,” Mahomes remarked. “They have great players at every level on both sides of the ball and they’re well coached. And so, when you play great football teams like that, it kind of usually ends with that split type of deal there. We’ve been able to beat them in the playoffs and they’ve got us in the regular season. If you look at the games, every game’s close, so it just comes out to a play here or there that makes an impact on the outcome.”
He added, “When you look at the great rivalries of the NFL, it comes with this. It comes with playing each other every year in the regular season and it comes with playing in the playoffs.”
Mahomes and his Buffalo counterpart, Josh Allen, have delivered some unforgettable performances, none more thrilling than their 2021 divisional round showdown. In that game, the two quarterbacks combined for seven touchdown passes and over 700 passing yards, with the Chiefs emerging victorious 42-36 in overtime to advance to the AFC Championship Game.
“I’ve played against Josh enough times to know that he’s going to come out there and play great football, especially in those big moments,” Mahomes said. “I have to play my best football whenever I get the opportunity to and try to put our team in the best position to succeed. If that’s limiting turnovers, if that’s changing the field position, whatever that is, you have to find a way that day to win.”
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, wide receiver Mecole Hardman will not be part of this year’s playoff run. Coach Andy Reid confirmed that Hardman, who is dealing with a knee injury, will not be activated off the injured reserve list, effectively ending his season.
Hardman was instrumental in last year’s playoff success, catching the winning touchdown in overtime during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
- Mahomes dismisses claims of favoritism from referees.
- Chiefs and Bills rivalry heats up with another playoff clash.
- Mecole Hardman ruled out for the rest of the season.
Originally Written by: Adam Teicher
