In the closing moments of the Bills vs. Chiefs game on Sunday, Andy Reid expressed dissatisfaction with the officials not warning Kansas City before Kadarius Toney received a penalty for being offsides. Despite losing 20-17, Reid found the situation "a bit embarrassing" for the league.
Patrick Mahomes, visibly upset with the officials during the game and continuing his frustration after, particularly when interacting with Josh Allen, believed that a significant penalty should not have been called.
However, amidst the Chiefs' frustration with officiating, there's a crucial detail overlooked: the officials made the right call. Toney was indeed offsides, making it nearly impossible to dispute.
Toney was penalized for lining up ahead of the 48-yard line, where the ball was behind. The call was correct.
The Chiefs were upset about a poorly timed offsides penalty nullifying a spectacular touchdown involving a cross-field lateral from Travis Kelce to Toney, a play that could have given them the lead. Instead of blaming the officials, they might want to consider placing responsibility on the player who failed to line up correctly.
Officiating experts confirm it was a penalty:
Even if some view Toney's positioning differently, two officiating experts, both former NFL officials, unanimously agreed that it was a penalty. While the penalty negated a remarkable play, officiating decisions, even in crucial moments, are part of the game. Despite this, Reid criticized the officials for not issuing a warning before the Chiefs' first violation, stating, "[It's] a bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place."
Mahomes also lamented the impact on Travis Kelce's potentially legendary play due to the offensive offsides penalty. However, there was minimal emphasis on Toney's role in the misalignment. The Chiefs, being seasoned players, should be aware of such basic requirements.
Chiefs benefited from a key call in the Super Bowl:
Highlighting a previous incident, last season's Super Bowl saw a similar outcry when a clear penalty was called. The Chiefs benefited from a key call as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback James Bradberry's hold on receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was evident. Despite arguments against the timing of the call, it was a case of complaining about a legitimate penalty being correctly enforced.
While officials have faced justified criticism throughout the season for various missed calls, perhaps a warning to Reid or Toney before the play could have avoided controversy. However, amidst the ongoing complaints about NFL officiating, it's essential to acknowledge when the officials make the right call, as was the case in this particular instance.
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