Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes heard Complaints On officiating Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans.
The referees were heavily criticized for two penalty kicks awarded To Houston For hits on Mahomes. Houston Edge's Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on 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 is tagged.
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The second penalty came during a Mahomes scramble in the third quarter. He had two blockers on the run and three defenders pressuring him. He moved to his right and then back to his left when he decided to slide.
After the game, Houston players and even head coach Demico Ryans suggested the referees favored the Chiefs with the calls.
Mahomes addressed the fan backlash during an interview on Tuesday on 96.5 The Fan.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by Aziz Al-Shaer (0) of the Houston Texans during the first quarter of an AFC playoff game at JHA at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“I've kind of learned that no matter what happens during the game, something's going to happen if you win and keep winning. So, I don't really care about that,” Mahomes said.
“I mean, obviously I've been on both sides of it as far as how I felt like the calls were made, but at the end of the day, man, these guys are trying their best to make the best calls and keep to where the guys are making the plays in the game.
“That's what determines the outcome. Obviously there was a call here or there that people didn't agree on, 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 injured during an AFC Divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans at JHA at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Head referee Clay Martin explained the calls to a pool reporter after the game, saying the call to Anderson was the result of “forced contact in the face mask area,” which warranted a flag. He said there was forced contact with Mahomes' “hairline” on another unnecessary roughness call.
But many fans also criticized 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 intentionally “fumbling” in an attempt to get another penalty, and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman even criticized Mahomes for taking a fall during the game.
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“He's trying to call the penalty,” Aikman said. “Instead of just going out of bounds, he's slowing down. And that's been the frustration, and I understand that. I understand that. That's been the frustration for these defensive players all over the league.” .
During Mahomes' interview on Tuesday, he said he “probably shouldn't have done it.”
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chews his mouth guard during warmups before the game against the Denver Broncos on November 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Reid Hoffman, File)
“I would say the only thing where I felt like maybe I did too much was that one on the sideline where I didn't get the flag, and the ref saw that and didn't throw the flag. And I understood that right away and I know I probably shouldn't have done that,” Mahomes said. .
“But, at the same time, which everyone talks about where I fell, it's like I'm trying to get out of the way of the defensive line running.
“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 game of football.”
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