NFL officiating came under heavy criticism during the divisional round, particularly for controversial flags thrown in the games leading up to the conference championships.
However, one outstanding non-call has sparked discussions about whether the league should introduce stricter rules against flopping, as suggested by ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman during the Texans-Chiefs matchup.
Currently, NFL players can be penalized for “unsportsmanlike conduct,” but flopping isn’t explicitly addressed in the rulebook.
Aikman argued for action, emphasizing the issue during his commentary with Joe Buck during Kansas City’s 23-14 win.
On a key possession, Patrick Mahomes appeared to exaggerate contact in an effort to draw a penalty, but the referees, led by Clay Martin, didn’t fall for it.
The play occurred shortly after Mahomes benefitted from a controversial unnecessary roughness call following a late slide, which saw two Texans defenders collide while avoiding him.
That drive ended in a crucial touchdown that extended Kansas City’s lead in the fourth quarter. During the sequence, Mahomes scrambled left and slowed as he reached the sideline, then dramatically fell after a light touch from linebacker Henry To’oTo’o.
Criticism of Controversial Penalties
Aikman expressed his frustration, criticizing Mahomes for attempting to manipulate the officials and empathizing with defensive players who face increased scrutiny under the current rules.
Earlier in the drive, Aikman strongly opposed a roughing penalty on To’oTo’o and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi, who had made incidental contact with Mahomes after his late slide.
“He’s a runner. I could not disagree more,” Aikman said, highlighting that Mahomes had left the pocket and shouldn’t have been given the same protections as a quarterback.
Aikman also criticized the late flag, thrown by Martin, and called for the NFL to reevaluate such rulings in the offseason.
ESPN’s rules analyst Russell Yurk agreed that no penalty should have been assessed, aligning with Aikman’s view.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans later commented on the officiating, suggesting his team expected such challenges against the Chiefs: “We knew it was us versus everybody today.”
Another questionable roughing-the-passer call came in the first quarter when Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. made contact with Mahomes.
The penalty erased a Kansas City three-and-out, finally leading to a field goal. Yurk argued the contact appeared clean, noting the initial hit seemed directed at Mahomes’ chest rather than his head.
After the game, Martin defended his decisions, explaining that he observed forcible contact near the facemask on Anderson’s penalty and helmet contact on To’oTo’o’s.
Walt Anderson, the league’s senior vice president of officiating, supported the interpretation under the current rules but suggested both situations could be reviewed by the competition committee in the offseason.
He noted that even minor doubt about roughing requires officials to throw the flag and emphasized that replay assist couldn’t overturn the second call involving Mahomes because the defenders’ contact was deemed incidental.
The potential for rule changes in the upcoming offseason remains a topic of interest, as officials and analysts debate how to balance player safety with fair gameplay.
