The NFL has fined Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon for comments he never made about referees during the team’s controversial playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Saturday.
After Mixon and his agent appealed the fine and publicly pointed out that Mixon did not make those comments, the NFL reissued the fine with the comments he made.
The original fine claimed Mixon said, “Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with the Chiefs. These officials are trash and prejudiced.”
This statement did not come from Mixon. Former NFL wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh wrote this in a social media post.
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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon, #28, and quarterback CJ Stroud, #7, celebrate Mixon’s touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game on Monday, November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jérôme Miron)
Mixon then launched into a tirade on social media, denying he made the statement and expressing outrage over the league’s fine.
The NFL then reissued the fine with its own words instead, which read: “Everyone knows how it goes here. You can never leave it in the hands of the referees. The whole world sees it , man,” according to NBC Sportsman.
League rules prohibit public criticism of referees “because it calls into question the integrity and public confidence in our game.”
The officials faced widespread criticism from Texans players and head coach DeMeco Ryans, as well as numerous media pundits and fans on social media, over two questionable penalties against passers that were inflicted on the Texans for hits on Patrick Mahomes last Saturday.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, is hit during an NFL Football Divisional Playoff game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City , Missouri. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
The first penalty came when Houston rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third down in the first quarter. Anderson appeared to poke Mahomes in the chest after throwing an incomplete pass 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.
Head referee Clay Martin explained these calls to a pool reporter after the game, saying one of the controversial calls was the result of “forced contact with the facemask area”, which warranted a flag. He said there was forced contact with Mahomes’ “hairline” during another unnecessary roughness call.
Mahomes himself defended the referees on calls when reporters asked him Wednesday if he thought the referees gave him preferential treatment.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, is tackled by Houston Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair, #0, during the first quarter of the AFC Divisional Playoffs at GEHA Field in Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes responded. “At the end of the day, the referees do their best to make the game as fair and appropriate as possible. And all you can do is go play the game you love as hard as you can and live with the results …I think that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.
“You have new referees every year, you have new circumstances, and you can never really tell because every game is different. And that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like just keep playing, and I’m just trying to win, and whatever happens, happens.
Meanwhile, Kelce refused to speak on the matter when his brother, Jason Kelce, asked him about it during their “New Heights” podcast on Wednesday.
“I would like to plead the Fifth,” the tight end said, jokingly referring to his constitutional right to remain silent.
