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Despite Chiefs winning the NFL Divisional game against Texans they have been constantly slammed by the fans calling this game fixed. American Football fans are expressing outrage after two questionable calls by NFL referees during the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans game on January 18, 2025, leading many to believe the game was "rigged."
The Chiefs have faced accusations throughout the 2024 season of receiving preferential treatment from NFL officials, and the referees' actions during this game only fueled those suspicions. Clay Martin and his crew made two calls in the first quarter that left fans fuming.
The first controversial moment occurred when Chiefs defensive back Bryan Cook appeared to execute a "hip-drop" tackle on Texans tight end Dalton Schultz. This tackle, which the NFL has been cracking down on, went uncalled, sparking immediate backlash from viewers.
Later in the first quarter, Texans star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was penalized for "Roughing the Passer" on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk strongly disagreed with the call, further intensifying the debate.
Fans Accuse NFL of Favoring Kansas City
The questionable calls led to a wave of accusations from fans, who took to social media to express their frustration. Many believe the NFL is favoring the Chiefs, particularly Mahomes, with one fan commenting, "Apparently if you sneeze on Mahomes you get a penalty. Unreal."
Another fan raised concerns about the number of favorable calls for Kansas City, asking, "How many absurd calls will KC get this game? Over under 3?"
Accusations of Rigging and Bias
Fans continued to voice their displeasure, with some claiming that the referees were blatantly rigging the game in Kansas City's favor. One fan said, "Texans player gets penalized for throwing his helmet to the ground… Chiefs players get away with hip-drop tackles. @NFL at least make it less obvious that you’re rigging games for the Chiefs."
Another fan added, "Typical NFL rigged bs. Then the no-call hip-drop tackle and 74 lines up illegally on every passing down."
The frustration reached a boiling point when one fan claimed, "-3 points for HOU on this missed call, and +3 for KC on the bogus roughing the passer call. Refs putting in work to fix this one."
Calls for Accountability from the NFL
With these controversial moments dominating the conversation, fans are calling for the NFL referees to explain their decisions. The missed hip-drop tackle and the questionable roughing the passer penalty on Mahomes have left many struggling to understand the rationale behind these calls.
One disgruntled fan summed it up by saying, "The Fix is in NFL fans… as bogus roughing the passer on Mahomes and the just a minute ago a no-call on an offsides by the Chiefs on a FG try by the Texans. It’s so sad when sports is fixed… I bet the refs get paid well for fixing games."
In light of these calls, it’s clear that the NFL’s officiating crew, led by Clay Martin, has a lot of explaining to do. Fans are eager to hear the rationale behind these puzzling decisions, hoping for more transparency from the league.
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