Officials in the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC divisional round win over the Houston Texans on Saturday night came under scrutiny for questionable decisions throughout the game.
From ESPN announcer Troy Aikman to Texas players after the game to social media, officials were lit up from every angle.
There are two penalties imposed on Texans that have outraged residents.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tries to avoid Houston Texans defensive ends Will Anderson Jr., left, and Denico Autry during an AFC divisional playoff game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer on third down in the first quarter. Anderson appeared to push Mahomes in the chest after he threw an incomplete pass to tight end Travis Kelce. Anderson was flagged.
The second penalty came in a scramble for Mahomes in the third quarter. He had two running tacklers and three defenders closing in on him. He moved to the right and then back to the left when he decided to slide.
Texans quarterback Henry To’oTo’o hit Mahomes in the neck as he slid. Despite the bang-bang nature of the play, To’oTo’o was still deemed to be unnecessarily rough.
The first penalty extended the clock and ended in a field goal. The second penalty pushed Kansas City up the field and ended in a touchdown.
The Chiefs won the game, 23-14.
Aikman successfully converted the penalty against To’oTo’o.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes warms up before the AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
“Oh, come on,” the Dallas Cowboys great said. “I mean, he’s a runner. I can’t disagree with that. He barely got hit. That was the second penalty called on the Texans.…
“They have to address that during the season. As a midfielder, you can’t run around and play with defenders and then maybe take a penalty.”
He is not the only one who thinks officials made a mistake.
Texas staff also spoke out about it after the game.
“We knew going into this game that we were playing against everyone,” Houton head coach DeMeco Ryans said via KPRC-TV. “When I say everyone, I mean everyone. Everything… The naysayers, the doubters were right. Everyone we had to go against today. Knowing going into this game, knowing what we were up against, we couldn’t make the mistakes that we did.”
Anderson said the team knew it would be “us versus the ref.”
Texans running back Joe Mixon also appeared upset.
“Everybody knows what it is,” Mixon said. “Playing here, you can never leave it to the referee. “But I mean, the whole world sees what it is, man. It is what it is.”
Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks sits on the bench during an AFC divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Head referee Clay Martin explains the calls to a pool reporter after the game.
He said the call on Anderson was the result of “forced contact in the mask area,” which led to the flag penalty. He said there was forced contact with Mahomes’ “hairline” in another unnecessary roughness call.
The Chiefs were able to hold Texans quarterback CJ Stroud to a tight end throughout the game. The Chiefs sacked Stroud eight times, including three from George Karlaftis.
