NFL fans often believe that the Kansas City Chiefs receive preferential treatment from referees. Recently, the Chiefs benefited from a controversial roughing the passer call in their victory over the Houston Texans during the NFL Playoffs. This trend continued in the 2025 AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills.
The officiating crew awarded the Chiefs a catch in the first half despite a clear tie-up of Xavier Worthy by the Bills. Later in the fourth quarter, another questionable decision favored the Chiefs when they stopped Josh Allen on a crucial fourth-and-1. Initially, it appeared that Allen had crossed the first down marker, but upon further review, he was marked just short, leading to a turnover.
Watch the play here:
look where the initial spots were
— Nate Tice (@natetice.bsky.social) 2025-01-27T02:11:04.652Z
Here’s another look at the play:
Clear first down by Josh Allen. No doubt about it but somehow the refs give him a terrible spot lol pic.twitter.com/lBXspdXZtX
— Jordan Moore (@iJordanMoore) January 27, 2025
Following the turnover, the Chiefs advanced the ball downfield and quickly scored a touchdown with a long run from Patrick Mahomes. This controversial 4th-and-1 call will be remembered if the Bills end up losing the game.
Did the referees make the right decision? It’s difficult to determine. During the live broadcast, it appeared that the Chiefs had stopped Allen short of the line, but replays suggest he may have crossed it.
This matchup continues to be a classic in the Bills/Chiefs rivalry, showcasing some of the best football in the league today.
