While there’s little, if anything, referee Clete Blakeman could’ve said after Sunday’s AFC Championship game to calm the sea of outrage engulfing NFL officials, it would’ve been nice to hear him at least try to explain the controversial calls that went the Chiefs’ way amid concern about favoritism toward Kansas City.
For a referee to be made available after a game, a pool report has to be requested by a member of the press in attendance. That did not happen during the Chiefs’ 32-29 home win over the Bills, according to Pro Football Talk.
Therefore, Blakeman was able to fly off into the Kansas City night without facing the music.
So he did not have to answer for the controversial turnover-on-downs call against the Bills when it appeared Josh Allen may have picked up a first down on a fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter while leading 22-21, a decision that was upheld upon review.
The Chiefs scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to take a 29-22 lead.
Nor did Blakeman have to answer for awarding Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy a catch late in the first half on a 50-50 ball that looked like it hit the ground.
NFL fans were already fuming after the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes were the beneficiaries of questionable calls during their win over the Texans in the divisional round.
That included an unnecessary roughness penalty against Houston when two of their players collided as Mahomes slid underneath them, with officials deeming there was contact to Mahomes.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the NFL could expand its replay assist system this offseason to include quarterback slides.
Schefter also noted in an X post that during the Chiefs’ eight-game playoff winning streak entering Sunday, Chiefs opponents had been called for six roughing-the-passer penalties while Kansas City had committed zero such infractions, and opponents had been flagged four times for unnecessary roughness against one such penalty against the Chiefs.
Ron Torbert will be the referee for Super Bowl 2025 in New Orleans on Feb. 9, when the Chiefs will look to become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls as they face the Eagles.
The Chiefs defeated the Eagles, 38-35, in the Super Bowl two years ago.
