Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are facing financial penalties following their Week 14 defeat against the Buffalo Bills, where they expressed discontent with the officiating. The NFL imposed a $100,000 fine on Reid on Sunday, citing a breach of longstanding league rules that prohibit public criticism of game officials, as reported by ESPN. Mahomes also received a $50,000 fine for his critical remarks about the officials and his “unsportsmanlike conduct during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against Buffalo.”
These fines originated from a pivotal moment in Sunday’s loss when officials penalized Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney for offensive offside, nullifying a potential go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter. Mahomes, visibly upset after Kansas City’s turnover on downs, was restrained by teammates as he directed his frustration toward an official. Post-game, Mahomes was heard expressing his displeasure to Bills quarterback Josh Allen regarding the contentious call.
In a conversation with reporters following the loss, Mahomes elaborated on his frustration: “It’s tough to swallow. Not only for me and football in general, to take away greatness like that, for a guy like Travis [Kelce] to make a play like that, you want to see the guys on the field decide the game. They’re human. They make mistakes. But every week, we’re talking about something.”
He continued, “It’s the call. Just in that moment. Not for myself. Having a flag changes the outcome of the game. I’ve never had offensive offsides called. If it does, they warn you. There wasn’t a warning the entire game. And then you make a call like that in the final minute? In another game, we’re talking about the refs. It’s not what we want for the NFL. It’s not what we want for football.”
Reid, expressing frustration over not receiving a warning about Toney’s foot placement, remarked, “Usually, I get a warning before something like that happens. A bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place. … I didn’t have a protractor out there, but it was a bit embarrassing.”
In subsequent remarks later in the week, Mahomes backtracked on his initial reaction, expressing regret: “Obviously, you don’t ever want to react that way. I care, man. I love this game, and I love my teammates. I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win. But, obviously, you can’t do that, can’t be that way toward officials or really anybody in life. So, I probably regret acting like that. But, more than anything, I regretted how I acted toward Josh after the game because he had nothing to do with it.”
Kansas City, currently on a two-game losing streak, is set to face the New England Patriots in Foxborough on Sunday.
