The speculation that the Kansas City Chiefs, and Patrick Mahomes in particular, get preferential treatment from NFL officials isn’t exactly breaking news. When a franchise reaches five Super Bowls in six years, scrutiny comes with the territory. The New England Patriots felt it during their dynasty, and Troy Aikman’s Dallas Cowboys heard the same whispers in the ’90s.
But what does Aikman think of the Chiefs’ alleged edge? According to the Hall of Famer, he’s firmly on the side that believes Mahomes gets the benefit of the doubt.
Troy Aikman Believes Officials Give Mahomes Extra Protection
There have been several incidents this season alone when the Chiefs have appeared to be favored by the refs, and the latest incident came during their Monday Night Matchup against the Washington Commanders.
Late in the fourth quarter, with Kansas City comfortably ahead 28–7, Mahomes was wrapped up near the eight-yard line and driven backward toward his own end zone before defensive lineman Johnny Newton finished the play by tossing him to the turf. A flag flew immediately, and the Chiefs were handed a new set of downs on an unnecessary roughness call.
On first look, it resembled the kind of hit the NFL routinely protects quarterbacks from, something virtually any passer in today’s league might draw. But when Aikman studied the replay, he wasn’t nearly as convinced.
“It wasn’t a lot, but with that said, when it comes to quarterbacks – especially this one – they’re gonna protect them,” Aikman said on the ESPN broadcast. “And Johnny does a great job, he gets back there, it’s just a lot of frustration coming out on his part.”
However, contrary to Aikman, longtime play-by-play announcer Joe Buck defended the decision on the field.
“That’s an easy one,” Buck said on the broadcast. “A clear-cut flag, and all Dan Quinn can do is shake his head.”
To be fair to Aikman, hits like that were rarely flagged during his playing days. But that was more than 25 years ago, and the NFL has evolved dramatically when it comes to safeguarding quarterbacks. When a defender slings a passer to the turf several yards after the play is effectively contained, a penalty is almost guaranteed irrespective of the name on the jersey.
Kansas City is on a hot streak and has found its rhythm after a sluggish start, notching at least 28 points in five straight outings following a stretch in which they averaged just 20 across their first three games. According to PFSN’s Offensive Impact metric, the Chiefs now boast a 90.6 rating, the third-highest mark in the league.
November will be a pivotal month for Kansas City, with three road games on the schedule. The Chiefs travel to Buffalo on Sunday before their bye week, then face Denver on the road, host the AFC-leading Colts, and visit Dallas for Thanksgiving.
