Referees accuse Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs of “Michael Jordan treatment” during controversial Falcons duel

Week 3 of the Kansas City Chiefs brought up the question again: Will Patrick Mahomes' team be favored by the referees? The KC team played its first road game of the season in Atlanta on Sunday, September 22. Entering the game, the Chiefs trailed the Falcons 7-0.

But later, after Patrick Mahomes found Rashee Rice near the end zone, he passed the football, which led to a field goal and a touchdown, tying the home team's lead. And since then, Mahomes and his Chiefs have never looked back. They kept scoring more and more points. But as the saying goes, when you win, criticism and speculation follow. That's what happened to the Chiefs.

Patrick Mahomes and his Chiefs are once again embroiled in the referee controversy!

As Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs got better and better in the game, they received support from the referees, according to many social media users. And senior NFL reporter Albert Breer said on X: “The Chiefs have mirrored the old Patriots in many ways, and I think the treatment by the referees like Michael Jordan is another.” He compared the help of this referee to that of Michael Jordan.

So what happened was that during his first few years with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan suffered repeated losses in the playoffs, often losing to the Detroit Pistons. As is obvious, this sparked a bitter rivalry. The Pistons, known for their tough defense, regularly stopped Jordan's playoff runs, making the losses even more frustrating.

When Jordan and the Bulls finally beat them in the playoffs, the Pistons left the court without shaking hands, fueling animosity. Not only that, but the Pistons felt Jordan was getting special treatment from the referees because of his growing fame. And you know what? Some people firmly believe that Michael Jordan didn't need special treatment because he was already good. Likewise, some NFL fans now believe that the Kansas City Chiefs don't need special treatment because they believe in Mahomes' exceptional abilities.

Nevertheless, this has become a regular theme in the Chiefs' game. Despite Patrick Mahomes and the franchise's victory, the speculators see their thoughts confirmed.

Not only Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs, but also the Falcons were favorites

The Chiefs pulled out a close 22-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons. But afterward, the only topic of conversation was the controversy! Once again, the referees were the center of conversation in the Chiefs game. And we all know that's not a unique perspective when Patrick Mahomes and his team are on the field.

In the fourth quarter, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​threw a crucial pass to Kyle Pitts in the end zone. It looked like Chiefs player Bryan Cook had touched the ball before it got there. So ideally, it should be clear pass interference, right? Wrong! The refs actually disagreed. Therefore, they didn't blow the whistle.

Not only that, but the Falcons had one last chance after that, but Kansas City's defense shut them down, which frustrated the Falcons fans. As a result, these frustrated fans are now bringing up the controversial issue of the call. And this is not the first time.

Just last week, the Chiefs scored a game-winning field goal on a pass interference call against the Bengals. Once again, people noticed and claimed it seemed like the defending champions were getting extra help from the referees. But is that really the case? Well, a recent favor from the referees for the Falcons may disprove that criticism.

No wonder, football is a tough game for referees too. But some decisions just can't be ignored. Like the recent decision against Chris Jones, who was called for excessive force on the passer, which left everyone baffled. So, yes, the referees may make some bad decisions, but questioning the positive decisions leaves a lasting impression on NFL fans.

Nevertheless, Patrick Mahomes' team won the game against the Falcons at the SNF with 22-17.

Also, check out our latest Think Tank exclusive interview with Doug Sanders, packed with insights on the current NFL season, college football, NIL and much more.