Conspiracy theories are rising from a leaked photo involving Patrick Mahomes and an NFL official.
After going up 3-0 to start the season, fans are convinced that the reigning Super Bowl champions are getting a helping hand from referees. The Chiefs were the benefactors of borderline penalties in Week 2 and 3, leading NFL fanbases to get fed up with the supposed special treatment.
To add fuel to the fire, Mahomes was spotted talking to a referee during NBC’s broadcast of Sunday’s game against Atlanta.
While talking to the referees pregame is a common practice for players, fans had malicious thoughts about the interaction and let it be known on social media.
‘Ready to cheat like always,’ one fan said.
‘Dude slipped him a 20 lmao,’ another added.
I don’t even think Tom Brady got this treatment,’ suggested a third while a fourth foreshadowed ‘Another rigged game incoming.’
‘Bad look for the nfl here,’ a fifth fan said.
Players often chat with officials before games to understand how the games will be called or to catch up with the referees.
However, a series of questionable officiating in favor of the Chiefs led to cries of foul from the fans.
In Week 1, the Chiefs were granted a timeout that should not have counted when defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo ran down the sideline with nine seconds left in the first half. The stoppage was granted despite Andy Reid being the only person allowed to call timeouts in that situation.
The following week, Kansas City were benefactors of a game-winning pass interference call. While trailing 25-23 against the Bengals, Mahomes launched a pass to Rashee Rice that fell incomplete.
Unfortunately for the Bengals flags came raining in after the pass was broken up. The referees awarded a pass interference call that gave the Chiefs a chance to kick the game-winning field goal at the last second.
On Sunday, the Chiefs benefited from a no-call against the Falcons. Atlanta trailed the Chiefs 17-22 in the dying minutes when a pass from Kirk Cousins to Kyle Pitts was broken.
While Cris Collinsworth pointed out the amount of contact in the play, the Falcons did not get the pass interference call that would have given them a chance to win.
