The Kansas City Chiefs received a favorable call late in the first half of the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills, with a play that was ruled a completion by Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy. On 3rd-and-5 with 3:13 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and found a ball to Worthy, who outjumped Bills safety Cole Bishop for the ball as they came down from the air. Officials initially ruled that Worthy had completed the catch, despite replay appearing to show the tip of the football hitting the ground.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott challenged the play, but the replay review upheld the initial call. The play was also accompanied by a holding penalty on Buffalo, making it unlikely the ball would have gone back to the Bills.
The favorable call gave the Chiefs possession, and a few plays later, they scored on a Mahomes touchdown run, taking a 21-10 lead. Many NFL fans were quick to point out that the questionable call favored the Chiefs, following a trend of alleged favoritism by NFL officials in the Chiefs’ previous game against the Houston Texans.
Mahomes downplayed the issue, stating that he focuses on playing football and letting the officials do their job to the best of their ability. The game will continue on Sunday, with the winner advancing to Super Bowl LIX.