The Kansas City Chiefs and the Year of Endless Referee Bias Allegations

Despite losing to the Eagles at the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs, including stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, were dogged all season by accusatiosn that referees helped them to win.

The three-peat didn’t happen. The Kansas City Chiefs lost in the NFL Super Bowl yesterday, being thoroughly outclassed by the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22. Oh, what could have been? The Chiefs came within one game of being the first-ever American football team to win three championships in a row: the coveted three-peat.

But while the three-peat narrative dominated headlines, another story followed the Chiefs all year. Was the fix in? Were referees actively rooting for and helping the most-famous team in the country? Despite denials at the highest level of the NFL, the controversy refused to go away.

The Sports and Crime Briefing examines a season full of close calls and strange calls that made headlines all year. We look at each disputed moment, laying out the details and what each side was saying.

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Week 1: Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens (September 5, 2024) – Chiefs Won 27-20

The Situation:
The season opener pitted the Chiefs against the Baltimore Ravens in a game that promised fireworks. With the Ravens trailing late in the game, Baltimore tight end Isaiah Likely appeared to snatch a crucial touchdown in the final seconds. Had the score stood, the Ravens would have been within one point of the Chiefs, with a chance to take the lead on the ensuing conversion.