Heading into the AFC Championship Game, plenty of Chiefs fans were melting down over the Super Bowl officiating assignment — a game they hadn’t even reached yet. Well, if the NFL was operating under some anti-Chiefs bias, they sure hid it well in Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
In the second half, especially, the Bengals sideline was in a state of disbelief when the Chiefs were given a mulligan on a third-down play because an official tried to stop play before the snap. On that do-over third down, the Chiefs ended up getting the first down by virtue of a penalty.
While the whole sequence didn’t make much of a difference as the Chiefs punted, it represented a trend of strange calls going against the Bengals all half.
Chiefs get a do over on 3rd down because the ref stopped the play, why did he stop it? pic.twitter.com/Xvt129Nscj
— Ted Buddwell 🏀🏈 (@TedBuddy8) January 30, 2023
"Gene, sort this out." pic.twitter.com/WpIRNoM9ao
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 30, 2023
There was also a weak pass interference call against Mike Hilton that extended a Chiefs drive.
Agree with the Pass Interference call on Mike Hilton? pic.twitter.com/dyo5uF3PXw
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 30, 2023
The Chiefs didn’t even need to score off of any of these calls to have fans furious. The officiating left a lot to be desired.
This was how Twitter reacted
Bengals fans watching the Refs rig the game for the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/RkcbF3b5xy
— RB (@rbhockey6) January 30, 2023
These refs today.. pic.twitter.com/IJBOHIIlGU
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2023
nah bro chiefs are paying these refs💀
— timthetatman👑 (@timthetatman) January 30, 2023
If I was Zac Taylor I'd throw my head set at the ref.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 30, 2023
Don’t like that call. AT ALL! These REFS 👀👀
— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) January 30, 2023
The refs to the chiefs anytime they get stopped #KCvsCIN #NFL pic.twitter.com/XTXeWSkTbM
— SportBallBoyz (@SportBallBoyz) January 30, 2023
… the Chiefs are getting a do-over because the refs are incompetent?
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) January 30, 2023
The NFL is rigged. It's just rigged.
The #Chiefs were going to punt.
Never seen this in my life.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 30, 2023
RIGGED
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 30, 2023
Not what you wanted to see in a conference championship game, that’s for sure.
