Pain. Every time the Kansas City Chiefs play, it’s painful. They always win no matter what, no matter the circumstances, no matter the turnovers, no matter the weather— they just win. There’s something about the team that makes them so… hate-able. Whether because of all the drama surrounding the organization or the occasionally insufferable fans, the Chiefs are a hard team for the average fan to root for in any situation. It seems like every week the Chiefs find some new and heart-breaking way to win. As I wrote about earlier in the year, every one of their wins can be marked or flagged with some wild event that swung the momentum in the Chief’s favor. Most of the time these changes stem from referee intervention which is the main reason why fans dislike the Chiefs so much. The Chiefs have special privileges regarding certain calls and situations, as almost all important flags go their way, every close call goes their way, and every negative interaction is blamed on their opponent. Fans point to prior dynasties, like that of the Patriots in the 2010s, and question why the Pats weren’t held in the same contempt as the Patrick Mahomes-led crew. A key difference is that the Patriots had rules changed to prevent their success while the Chiefs have ruled bent and broken to propel their success. That fact makes it unbelievably hard to take them seriously in any game they play in, since it seems as though the team can always count on a referee to bail them out in the final stretch of games.
The Chiefs have made the conference championship every year for the last seven years. SEVEN years. Their streak is the second longest behind Tom Brady’s Patriots, who did it 8 times in a row. But this year was supposed to be different, as the AFC was deemed the peak of talent in the NFL due to teams like the Bills, Ravens, and Texans all in striking distance. The Bills were the team that spoiled the Chiefs’ perfect season back in November and had the hopes of the league resting on their shoulders to stop KC from making their 5th Super Bowl appearance, but heartbreak struck as the Bills collapsed in a 29-32 nail biter This game was a shootout with multiple lead changes and nuclear plays throughout. Once again the game was mired with controversy, as in the latter stages of the game, a pivotal 4th and 1 came to fruition when the Bills (who held a 22-21 lead) were marching down the field to put the game out of reach for the Chiefs. They were in an amazing position, holding all of the momentum and maintaining one of the best rushing attacks in the league in a 1-yard situation. Not only were they perfectly prepared to gain the first, but they had already converted multiple 4th downs in drives prior. Amidst all of that, the Bills made the right call and put the ball in Josh Allen’s hands with a designed QB run up the middle for the first. In a tight spot, it seemed like Allen was able to cross the line of scrimmage and gain the first, allowing fans across the country a sigh of relief as the Bills seemed to have the game locked up. The referee crew had a different idea and shockingly called Allen short of the line, even with the replay showing him cross the plane for the first. The commentators and the rules analyst agreed that Allen had gained the first, but the refs didn’t, as they declared a turnover on downs and awarded the Chiefs the ball with good field position.
This call was absolutely brutal, and the football world’s reaction was similar to throwing a gas canister on a raging fire, as not even the playoffs could halt the clear bias toward KC. Watching the game live and seeing that terrible call made my heart sink, a familiar feeling that I’ve continually felt as I torture myself by watching the Chiefs every week and hoping for any outcome other than a win in their favor. Sadly, that feeling will remain prolonged, as the Chiefs look to win their 3rd Super Bowl in a row and there is nothing anybody can do about it. The inescapable pit in my stomach is one I wish on no one, and my disdain for the Chiefs only grows with every win. All the league can do is hope, pray, and put faith in Philadelphia. FLY EAGLES FLY.
