Andy Reid, the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, sacked Patrick Mahomes after the NFL fined both of them for criticizing officials after the Chiefs’ loss to the Bills.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport said that the NFL penalized Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Saturday for their disparaging remarks on the officiating at the conclusion of the team’s loss to the Buffalo Bills last Sunday.
According to Rapoport, Reid was fined $100,000 for his public criticism of the officials, while Mahomes was fined $50,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct, which included using derogatory or abusive words against officials and criticizing the referees in public.
With less than ninety seconds remaining in the game and Kansas City trailing the Bills 20-17, officials determined that Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney was offside on a potentially game-winning touchdown. The Bills won because the Chiefs were unable to move the ball forward on the next three plays.
Following the call, Mahomes became enraged on the field. He also made it clear during his postgame conversation with Bills quarterback Josh Allen how upset he was, and he vented more at his postgame news conference.
“Last week, I didn’t say anything about the flag that wasn’t called on Marquez (Valdes-Scantling), because I know that as fans, you want to see the players on the field determine the game,” Mahomes stated on December 10. Every week we have a conversation about something, and all I can do is go out there and give it my all.
I’m proud of the guys for what we accomplished, and it was a fantastic football game that ended—another fantastic football game that just ended like that. It’s just hard to swallow.
During his postgame media session, Reid also disputed the call, saying that it was “a bit embarrassing” and that receivers typically receive a warning from referees if they are lined up wrong.
Both Mahomes and Reid backed off from their criticism of the officials in the days that followed the game. Mahomes continued on Wednesday, saying that he has to connect with Allen with “greater sportsmanship.”
At the end of the December League Meeting in Irving, Texas, on Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was questioned about the present status of officiating in the league.
“I think it’s a bit amusing that you say officiating is getting attention when, as far as I know, practically everyone agrees that the officials were 100% accurate,” Goodell said to reporters. It is their responsibility to signal a foul. That foul was unquestionably committed.
It was unquestionably the proper decision. It goes without saying that if you hadn’t called, there would have been criticism directed at either us or our officials.
“We are all aware that people doubt our elected officials. They are not flawless, as I have stated numerous times before. Nobody among us is.
However, the truth is that they perform really well. As previously stated, I find it odd that I’m standing here responding to a question about how the officials handled things well while they’re receiving flak.
It demonstrates, in my opinion, how challenging their work is. I am aware of that and that it is a requirement of the job. The officials are aware of this, but I’m really proud of what they did in that game as well as what they’re now doing.”
