ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter faced criticism on Saturday for his report about the league possibly considering using replay assist when it came to quarterback slides.
Schefter wrote on X, “For all those complaining that Patrick Mahomes gets too many calls, relief soon could be on the way.” The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was criticized for the late slide against the Houston Texans that led to an unnecessary roughness penalty after linebacker Henry To’oTo’o hit him right after he dropped to the ground.
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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes slides against Houston Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o during the AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Jan. 18, 2025. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)
Amid the controversy over the slide, head referee Clay Martin defended the call. He said there was forcible contact to Mahomes’ “hairline” on the other unnecessary roughness call.
NFL fans were upset with Schefter for using Mahomes as a reference point. Still, Schefter used statistics to back up his point. He compared penalties between the Chiefs and their playoff opponents over the course of their eight-game winning streak.
Adam Schefter of ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” on the sideline prior to the game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Nov. 21, 2022. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)
According to researcher Paul Hembo, Kansas City’s opponents have been flagged for roughing the passer six times compared to zero times for the Chiefs. When it came to unnecessary roughness, Kansas City’s opponents have seen four penalty flags and only one against the Chiefs.
Still, fans were outraged.
Actor Eric Stonestreet, a huge Chiefs fan, called out Schefter on NFL Network.
“He calls out Patrick Mahomes in his tweet like Patrick Mahomes is the only one on the beneficiary end of a roughing the passer call,” he said. “He’s got the biggest reach in all the NFL and here he’s out implying and furthering this conspiracy theory that the league is rigging the game.”
Mahomes was asked about the alleged favoritism during the week.
“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “… 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.
“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.”
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The Chiefs play the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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