Rumors claim the NFL suspended referees after the controversial AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
After the Chiefs defeated the Bills 32-29 and advanced to the Super Bowl for the third straight season, they faced several backlashes from netizens.
Many believed that NFL referees helped the Chiefs win the game, which the Bills could have easily won and changed the game once again.
As the Chiefs have emerged as one of the most powerful teams in the NFL, they have also been a center of controversy, with many believing the important calls by referees go their way during games.
Moroever, in the recent game, referees ruled that the Bills didn’t successfully convert a 4th-and-1 attempt.
Bills’ QB Josh Allen appeared to come right to the line needed to secure a first down, but the referees ruled that he was short, and the Bills turned the ball over on downs.
Similarly, the Chiefs subsequently took over the ball with good field position and scored a touchdown.
After this controversial game, many claimed that the NFL suspended referees for potential match fixation.
One social media post stated that Seven referees involved in the Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs game have been temporarily suspended for investigating their potential involvement in one of the largest bribery scandals in history.
Another claim that the NFL suspended Referee Clete Blakeman after the game showed that the referee missed many fouls by the Chiefs.
In response to the post, many believe it is fake news, while some state there should be a rematch because it wasn’t fair play.
However, despite rumors, there is no official confirmation from reputable sources that the NFL has suspended any referees involved in the game.
Many renowned analysts believe Josh Allen successfully recorded a first down!
Surrounding the cheating scandal, many renowned analysts, including CBS commentators Tony Romo, Jim Nantz, and rules analyst Gene Steratore, disagreed with referees.
They believe that Bills’ QB Josh successfully recorded a first down, but the referee’s call affected the game, leading to the Chiefs’ win.
🚨🚨THIS IS CRAZY🚨🚨
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 27, 2025
THE REF FROM THE #CHIEFS SIDELINE RAN IN AND OVERRULED THE REF FROM THE TOP WHO RULED A #BILLS FIRST DOWN ON THE 4TH DOWN PLAY.
HE OVERRIDED HIM AND GAVE KANSAS CITY THE BALL BACK.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.pic.twitter.com/KhhQ67DD8K
“I felt like he gained it by about a third of the football, Jim; that was just my take on the play Tough, tough play,” said Gene Steratore to Jim Nantz.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott also believed Allen had the first down.
McDermott stated,
“I thought he had it, just short of the line was actually the first down, what it looked like to me when it was sitting next to me with the marker, just inside that white stripe was the first down and it looked like he got to it.”
However, the replay official didn’t find enough evidence to overturn the call, and eventually, the Chiefs took over on downs.
Before this, the Chiefs and their QB, Patrick Mahomes, faced criticism for winning the divisional round over the Texans.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- The Buffalo Bills appeared in four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991-1994 but have not won any Super Bowls.