Perhaps the biggest storyline this NFL postseason is how the Kansas City Chiefs have been officiated and whether there is a bias in their favor from referees.
Expectedly, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shot down this theory on the opening day of Super Bowl Week on Monday.
Everyone from NFL broadcasters like Troy Aikman to NFL insiders like Adam Schefter have publically shared their concerns with the officiating of Chiefs games this postseason. This has led to even further discourse and theories that the NFL is fixing games in Kansas City’s favor.
Considering these theories put the legitimacy of the league into question, Goodell wasted no time dispelling this narrative when asked by reporters Monday.
“Well, you know this kind of reminds me a little bit of the script right? That I write a script and I have the script for the entire season,” he said. “Listen, I think a lot of those theories are things that happen on social media and they get a new life. As you say, it’s not your theory but it’s out there. Nobody wants it to be their theory. I understand it, I think it reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. And I think it is also a reminder for us about how important the officiating is.
“I think the men and women that officiate in the NFL are outstanding. They have the highest possible standards. It’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously. But at the end of the day, it’s always something that we have to continue to work on. How do we make our officiating better at all times?
“If you look at the Chiefs’ record, which I think is an amazing thing. People talk about the competitiveness in our league. The Chiefs with their 15 wins, 15-2 this year. 11 of those 15 games were within one score. I think that talks about the competitiveness of our game and the importance of how we officiate it. But also the competitiveness of how we play it.”
“That’s a ridiculous theory — for anyone who might take it seriously. But at the end of the day, it’s something we always have to continue to work on: How do we make our officiating better?”
– Roger Goodell when asked about public perception that referees are favoring the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/uA2YX7FE7s
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) February 3, 2025
While Goodell obviously had to dispel any notion that there is any favoritism from officials towards the Chiefs to ensure that the reputation of the league remains strong, it is positive to see he acknowledges the complaints and understands the need to ensure referees are held to a high standard.
There will undoubtedly be plenty of attention on the officials once the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles take the field on Sunday night. So don’t expect the conspiracy theorists to quiet down if the Chiefs are the beneficiary of some favorable calls in Super Bowl LIX.