The Kansas City Chiefs hosted their longtime rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals, last Sunday at Arrowhead, which ultimately came down to a Defensive Pass Interference (DPI) penalty. It paved the way for a game-winning field goal, which Harrison Butker didn’t miss from the 51-yard mark. Now, football fans, especially those from Cincinnati, are furious with the referee. Patrick Mahomes, however, offers a different perspective.
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During his appearance on “The Drive” with 96.5 The Fan radio, Mahomes expressed his support for the referees’ calls. He pointed out that it’s their job and that they’re not exclusively making these calls in the Chiefs’ favor.
He said:
“It’s the job of the referees to call the flags whenever the flags are there and they did in both of those instances, but yeah, I mean, it seems like social media goes wild at that stuff after a game like that.”
So, what exactly happened at Arrowhead? On a 4th-and-16 at Kansas City’s 35-yard line, Mahomes threw a downfield pass to Rashee Rice. The pass was ruled incomplete, but the referee had also thrown a flag. Ultimately, the DPI on Daijahn Anthony was called for pass interference.
This extended the Chiefs’ fourth-quarter drive, resulting in an automatic first down and an excellent field position for the Chiefs. Seconds later, Harrison Butker capitalized on this advantage to score the game-winning field goal, dashing the hopes of the Bengals team.
Even though there was a debate on social media about the call, former referees like Gene Steratore clarified that it was the correct decision, citing early contact while adding it was a catchable call.
While the referees’ controversy is a talking point, it’s noteworthy that recent Chiefs-Bengals matchups have been adrenaline-filled experiences. Notably, the latest game resulted in a narrow one-point victory for the Chiefs. Mahomes was asked about this high-level competitiveness, and he responded thoughtfully.
Mahomes on Bengals rivalry and respect for Joe Burrow
Expressing his thoughts on the new rivalry, Mahomes admitted that when two great teams compete, the margin for error is minimal, and the final result will come down to executing plays in the last minutes. He noted that the Bengals had been on the winning side twice in 2022, and now the Chiefs have balanced it with a few close wins.
“Yeah, you know, I mean, two great football teams, I mean great players on offense and defense on both teams. Two great kickers, and then competitors, man. I mean, I respect Joe Burrow and the way he competes every time on the football field.”
Mahomes also added that he expects to compete more against Joe Burrow’s Bengals in the coming years as both teams remain strong contenders in the NFL.
To put things in perspective, 27.868 million viewers watched the Bengals-Chiefs game, which made it the most-watched game in the month of September on CBS since 1998.
That said, it will be interesting to see if the two teams meet again this season in the playoffs. However, the Bengals will need to step it up, having lost both of their first two games.
