The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to playing from behind in postseason games. Last year, they mounted double-digit comebacks in every game en route to the Super Bowl title. They’ve been in this situation before.
But Sunday’s Super Bowl LV matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the Chiefs especially frustrated with the officiating. And for good reason.
The Buccaneers went into the locker room up 21-6 at halftime after a pair of defensive pass interference penalties set up an Antonio Brown touchdown just before half.
The first call — a 34-yard penalty — appeared to be incidental contact, at most, on a pass that Mike Evans wasn’t going to reach.
Sure pic.twitter.com/MySMdSjYwW
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 8, 2021
The second pass interference call occurred in the end zone on Tyrann Mathieu, which was a questionable penalty as well. Mathieu was visibly upset on the bench over the call.
I mean wtf pic.twitter.com/aiNrp1KILm
— Alex Gold (@AlexGold) February 8, 2021
The calls had Chiefs fans (and most viewers at home) upset with how involved the officials have made themselves in this game. The Bucs were only called for one penalty for five yards in the first half. The Chiefs, on the other hand, were called for eight penalties for 95 yards.
Penalty yardage is 95 to 5 hahahahahha
— Tom (@TJFsports) February 8, 2021
/spins officiating wheel https://t.co/2EEYCU1RJ1
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 8, 2021
Two things can be true: the Chiefs are playing terrible and the officiating is unbelievably lopsided.
— Kent Swanson (@kent_swanson) February 8, 2021
To me, it's a case of the refs unnecessarily imposing their will on the game. https://t.co/qJIgyOfB0x
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) February 8, 2021
Patrick Mahomes has as many completed passes as the refs do right now
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) February 8, 2021
Hate complaining about officiating but … it feels like we came to watch the officials in #SuperBowl
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) February 8, 2021
This officiating is very suspect… let them play ball…
— Dane Cruikshank (@Dane2Smoove) February 8, 2021
I’m all for the O but two terrible PI calls .
— Darnell Mooney (@Darnell_M1) February 8, 2021
The Refs helped that drive! Couple suspect calls. Can’t control that as a Player/Coach. What they can control is that TERRIBLE timeout on 3rd and a short 2.
— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) February 8, 2021
