Kadarius Toney’s penalty wasn’t the only reason the Chiefs lost to the Bills on Sunday, but it was such a baffling mistake that he’s the one who’s dominating headlines on Monday morning—and a new camera angle sheds light on just how inexplicable Toney’s fourth-quarter offsides penalty was.
With less than two minutes to play and Kansas City trailing Buffalo 20–17, Patrick Mahomes completed a long pass to Travis Kelce, who made a daring improvisational play by throwing a lateral to Toney. The risky play paid off as Toney was able to streak into the end zone untouched.
Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports
But the score was waved off by the officials due to an offsides penalty on Toney. It was a backbreaking call for the Chiefs, but it was the right one. He was lined up well into the neutral zone when the ball was snapped.
The NFL’s All-22 camera angle shows just how careless Toney was before the play.
All 22 angle of the Kelce lateral/Toney offside play. Doesn't appear Toney once checks with the sideline judge on his side from this.
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) December 11, 2023
Also amazing job still from Kelce finding him in space. pic.twitter.com/UyiVABuBSp
Not only did Toney line up well offside (past the 49-yard line, while the ball was spotted behind the 49), he didn’t check his position with an official. It’s standard practice for receivers to look to the sidelines as they line up to check with the line judge or down judge and make sure they are in a legal position. But Toney didn’t. You can see him in the video above (second from the bottom of the screen, in case you couldn’t tell from his blatantly offside position) watching the ball the entire time before it is snapped. Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, rookie Rashee Rice checked with the official on his side of the field to make sure he was lined up properly. If Toney had just taken that simple step the Chiefs might have won the game.
