NFL Fans Irate After Chiefs Benefit From Another Soft Penalty to Start Super Bowl

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown jostles with Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie during Super Bowl LIX. | via Fox

It didn't take long for the referees to become part of the story at Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

On fourth-and-2 from the 50-yard-line, the Eagles dialed up a deep shot, with Jalen Hurts hitting A.J. Brown in stride down the sideline for what should have been an 18-yard gain to put Philadelphia in Chiefs territory.

And then the flags came.

Brown was called for offensive pass interference for what appeared to be light contact with Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie. The controversial call drew the ire of Fox's Tom Brady and Mike Pereira, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, as well as legions of fans in the Caesars Superdome and watching at home.

Tom Brady was not happy with this offensive pass interference call on A.J. Brown. #SBLIX pic.twitter.com/bcU9LNXVGr
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 9, 2025

The notion that the Chiefs are the regular beneficiaries from regular refereeing miscuses has been a major storyline throughout the NFL season, and one the franchise and the league have taken lengths to push back on.

It certainly doesn't help when the first big call of the Super Bowl is as questionable as this.

Already have our first "refs, you suck!" chant of the night!
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) February 9, 2025

That’s a crazzzzzyyy call! I always wanted that call as a defender but never got it😂😂
— Denzel Ward (@denzelward) February 9, 2025

So AJ Brown got penalized bc the the cornerback fell? Weak call.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) February 9, 2025

The first penalty of the game…

And it’s just an awful call.

C’mon
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 9, 2025

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni to referee Ron Tolbert after the OPI call on AJ Brown:

"That's terrible." pic.twitter.com/F8Mb8ZVPbY
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) February 9, 2025

All we want from the refs is consistency.

I would much prefer they let ‘em play, but if you’re going to call that, now you have to call it like that all game.

And nobody wants ticky-tacky hand fighting called all game long…
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 9, 2025

And as has become tradition, Lasik.com is offering a helping hand.

🚨Better Vision. Better Calls.🚨

For the last time. We’re literally offering all NFL refs free LASIK. pic.twitter.com/0dmDFvHEJf
— LASIK.com (@LASIKdotcom) February 9, 2025

Philadelphia had more luck on its second drive. After forcing a Chiefs punt, the Eagles have the ball deep in Kansas City territory.