Patrick Mahomes doesn’t believe NFL officials are doing the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback any favors.
Nor do the statistics support that assumption.
In last week’s divisional-round win over Houston, the Texans were twice penalized for hits on Mahomes, and one of them came on third down to extend a drive that ended in points. And that led many fans — to say nothing of some members of the Texans defense — to believe the league’s officials were blatantly favoring one of its biggest stars.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said Wednesday in his first media availability ahead of Sunday’s AFC title game against Buffalo, where the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs will try to earn a chance at a three-peat.
“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 proper as best they can,” Mahomes said. “For me, it’s go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game, and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”
While it may seem as though one of the NFL’s most visible franchises gets more than its share of calls, the Chiefs in fact have been penalized 147 yards more than their opponents over the past three seasons, including the playoffs.
And lest some think the Chiefs benefit more in moments that matter most, opponents have gained 20 more first downs via penalties on third or fourth down since 2018, which is when Mahomes became the starter. In the fourth quarter or overtime of games decided by one score, the Chiefs have the seventh-worst penalty differential over that same time period.
Still, it appears the narrative that officials are helping the Chiefs to win had reached the Houston locker room before the Texans ever reached Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday, where they lost 23-14 in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said afterward.
[Related: Tom Brady says QBs should lose their protection as runners]
Then again, Mahomes didn’t earn any latitude among fans by appearing to flop in an attempt to draw another flag. That came as he was scrambling to his left and went out of bounds, and when touched by Houston linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, the two-time NFL MVP dramatically threw himself to the ground — but failed to fool the officials, who kept their flags in their pockets.
It certainly drew the ire of former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, who was calling the game for ESPN.
Tom Brady discusses officiating and the Chiefs
“He’s trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down,” Aikman said. “That’s been the frustration, and I get it. I understand it. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league.”
Mahomes didn’t seem perturbed by the sudden national discourse into penalties and flopping when he addressed the media on Wednesday. Instead, he methodically answered questions about them and then turned his attention to the Bills.
“You get new referees every year. You get new circumstances,” Mahomes said, “and you never can really tell because every play is different, and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I just continue to play the game. I just try to win.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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