The NFL has issued fines to a pair of Kansas City Chiefs players for their conduct during last weekend’s playoff victory against the Houston Texans.
Amid growing discussions among fans and analysts claiming that the Chiefs receive preferential treatment from NFL officials, the league has issued significant fines to two players from Kansas City. Before their 32-29 win against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Conference Championship game on Sunday, two Chiefs were flagged for their behavior in the Divisional Round.
Safety Bryan Cook received a fine of $8,443 for unnecessary roughness after performing a hip-drop tackle on Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz with under 13 minutes remaining in the first quarter of the Chiefs’ 23-14 victory last week. His teammate in safety, Justin Reid, was penalized $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct after he made an aggressive gesture with a little more than 10 minutes left in the game.
Interestingly, neither Cook nor Reid faced penalties during the match for these incidents—only to receive fines a week later when their actions were considered illegal. These penalties arrive when the Chiefs are under significant scrutiny for supposedly receiving preferential treatment from officials.
On Sunday, these allegations peaked in the final quarter of the Championship match. On a fourth-and-inches situation from the Chiefs’ 41-yard line, Buffalo tried to secure the first down using a “tush push.”
Despite quarterback Josh Allen appearing to have crossed the line to gain, officials ultimately decided that he was around two inches short.
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore promptly disputed a controversial call made during the game, claiming that player Allen definitely reached the threshold. “I had the impression that he acquired it by roughly a third of the football, Jim.” That was simply my perspective on the play. “Hard, hard play,” he conveyed to commentator Jim Nantz.
After the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott supported Steratore’s view, believing that Allen had achieved the required distance. “I believed he possessed it,” McDermott stated.
Just shy of the line was indeed the first down, as it appeared to me while it was positioned next to me with the marker; just within that white stripe was the first down, and it seemed he reached it. “That’s everything I can convey.”
At the same time, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes dismisses claims of referee favoritism towards his team. “I don’t feel that way,” he replied when asked about any sensed favoritism from the officials.
