Officiating in the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC divisional round win over the Houston Texans on Saturday night came under scrutiny due to questionable calls throughout the game.
From ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman to Texas players after the game to social media, the officials were lit from every angle.
Two penalties were given to the Texans which sparked anger.
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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes attempts to avoid Houston Texans defensive ends Will Anderson Jr., left, and Denico Autry during the AFC Divisional Playoff game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City , Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Houston rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on third down in the first quarter. Anderson appeared to poke Mahomes in the chest after throwing the ball incompletely to tight end Travis Kelce. Anderson was reported.
The second penalty came during a Mahomes scrum in the third quarter. He had two blockers running and three defenders rushing at him. He moved to his right and then moved back to his left when he decided to slide.
Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o hit Mahomes around the neck as he slid. Despite the bang-bang nature of the piece, To’oTo’o has been called unnecessary brutality.
The first penalty extended the drive and ended with a field goal. The second penalty pushed Kansas City up the field and the drive ended in a touchdown.
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The Chiefs won the game 23-14.
Aikman scored the penalty on To’oTo’o.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes warms up before the AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
“Oh, come on,” the Dallas Cowboys great said. “I mean, he’s a runner. I can’t disagree with that one anymore. He’s barely touched. This is the second penalty now that’s been called against the Texans.…
“They need to fix this in the offseason. You can’t, as a quarterback, run and play with defenders and then be able to take a penalty.”
He is not the only one who thinks the authorities made a mistake.
The Texas staff also talked about it after the game.
“We knew going into this game, it was us against everyone,” Houton head coach DeMeco Ryans said, via KPRC-TV. “When I say everyone, it means everyone. Everyone. The opponents, the doubt is true. We had to face everyone today. Knowing that before this match, knowing what we were against faced, we can’t make the mistakes we made.”
Anderson said the team knew it would be “us against the refs.”
Texans running back Joe Mixon was also irritated.
“Everyone knows what it’s like to play here, you can never leave it in the hands of the officials,” Mixon said. “But I mean the whole world sees what it is, brother. It is what it is.”
Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks sits on the bench during the AFC Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Head referee Clay Martin explained the calls to a pool reporter after the game.
He said the call on Anderson was the result of “forced contact with the facemask area,” which warranted the penalty flag. He said there was forced contact to Mahomes’ “hairline” on the other unnecessary roughness call.
The Chiefs managed to keep Texans quarterback CJ Stroud at bay throughout the game. The Chiefs sacked Stroud eight times, including three by George Karlaftis.
