NFL officials at Sunday’s Chiefs-Bills game were right to flag Kansas City for offsides on the game’s pivotal play, Aaron Rodgers told ESPN, but the New York Jets quarterback hopes Patrick Mahomes can avoid a fine for his volatile sideline response to the penalty.
‘I hope nothing happens, I hope they do nothing’ the injured New York Jets quarterback told Pat McAfee during their weekly interview on ESPN.
The NFL is reportedly weighing a fine for Mahomes after he criticized officials’ decision to flag Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney on what proved to be the game’s deciding play. But while Rodgers acknowledges ‘if you talk about the refs, you get fined,’ he said he hopes Mahomes can skirt any punishment for blowing up at officials on the Arrowhead Stadium sideline.
‘I think that was the right call,’ Rodgers said. ‘I understand the frustration. I’d be pissed too… It wipes out a really awesome play, but the interpretation of the rule was obviously correct.’
The incident took place at the end of Sunday’s 20-17 Bills win in Kansas City. After Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce hauled in a 25-yard pass from Mahomes, he deftly hit Toney with a cross-field lateral, leading to what appeared to be the game-winning touchdown.
But in the midst of the Chiefs’ celebrations, Kansas City players slowly became aware there was a flag on the field.
Irate over the call, Mahomes belligerently voice his disapproval with officials on the sideline, where several teammates were forced to restrain him. Mahomes appeared to be primarily upset with officials’ inconsistency.
Officials rarely flag offsides because receivers have an opportunity before the ball is snapped to check with the side judge to ensure they’re lined up onsides. Toney appeared to check with officials before the play but didn’t seem to wait for a response.
It’s unclear if the side judge told him he was offside, but nonetheless, the receiver was clearly lined up in the neutral zone on the play.
And it wasn’t just that play. Toney similarly lined up offsides at other points in the game, only to get away with the infraction.
‘I think there’s certain rules that seem pretty black and white,’ Rodgers said. ‘Lining up onside is one of those.’
Rodgers admitted that Kelce’s clever lateral to Toney was ‘an awesome play,’ but concluded ‘the interpretation of the rule was obviously correct.’
