Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heard the complaints about the officiating in Saturday’s playoff game against the Houston Texans.
Referees were the subject of heavy criticism over two penalties assessed to Houston for hits on Mahomes. Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on a third down in the first quarter.
Anderson appeared to shove Mahomes in the chest after he threw an incomplete pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Anderson was flagged.
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The second penalty came during a Mahomes scramble in the third quarter. He had two run blockers and three defenders bear down on him. He moved to the right and then back to the left as he decided to slide.
After the game, Houston players and even head coach DeMeco Ryans suggested the referees favored the Chiefs with calls.
Mahomes addressed the fan backlash during an interview on 96.5 The Fan Tuesday.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by Azeez Al-Shaair (0) of the Houston Texans in the first quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“I’ve kind of learned that no matter what happens during the game, if you win, something will come of it and you keep winning. So I don’t really pay attention to that,” Mahomes said.
“I mean, obviously, I’ve been on both sides of it as far as how I felt the calls were made, but at the end of the day, man, those guys are doing their best to make the best calls and keep it where the players play in the game.
“And that’s what decides the outcome. And of course there was a call here or there that people didn’t agree with, but at the same time I think there were a lot of other plays that really decided the outcome of that football game.”
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Patrick Mahomes (15) of the Kansas City Chiefs is hit during an AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Mo. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Explaining the calls to a pool reporter after the game, head referee Clay Martin said the call on Anderson was the result of “forceful contact to the face mask area,” warranting a flag. He said there was forced contact at Mahomes’ “hairline” on the second unnecessary roughness call.
But many fans also directed criticism at Mahomes after he fell to the ground after being lightly hit by Texans defenders in the fourth quarter. Many fans accused the star quarterback of “flopping” on purpose in an attempt to draw another penalty, and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman even criticized Mahomes for the fall during the game.
“He’s trying to draw penalties. Instead of just running out of bounds, he’s slowing down. And that’s been the frustration, and I get it. I get that. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league,” Aikman said.
During Mahomes’ interview Tuesday, he said he “probably shouldn’t have done it.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chews on his mouth guard during warmups before a game against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
“I would say the only one I felt like I probably did too much was the one on the sideline where I didn’t get a flag and the ref saw it and didn’t throw a flag. And I understood that right away and know , that I probably shouldn’t have done it,” Mahomes said.
“But at the same time, the one that everybody talks about, where I went down, it’s like I was just trying to get out of the way to get smoked by the defensive lineman running in.
“So I’m going to try to keep doing that and not take those hits because that’s the smart way to stay in the football game.”
