The Chiefs got on the board early in Monday night’s matchup against the Jaguars, but it wasn’t without controversy.<\/p>\n
Late in the first quarter on a 3rd-and-goal, Patrick Mahomes threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, who ran into the end zone but immediately reacted to a flag that was thrown on the play. In response to the penalty, several Chiefs players including Mahomes could be seen talking to a pair of refs and pleading their case.<\/p>\n
Mahomes was later ushered away from the officials, but the apparent damage was done. The refs initially believed Chiefs’ JuJu Smith-Schuster committed an offensive pass interference penalty to free up Kelce on his touchdown, but they changed their call to allow the score. <\/p>\n
Mahomes was likely talking to the refs about the “pick rule” in football: within one yard of the line of scrimmage, anything goes, and an offensive player can block a defensive player as much as they want. Beyond that one-yard buffer, an offensive player would be penalized for initiating such contact.<\/p>\n
ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk seemed to think the refs got this one wrong: “On that situation, they\u2019re looking at the point of contact. If the contact is more than one yard downfield\u2014it\u2019s not where his feet are\u2014it\u2019s a good call for pass interference…. I thought that would have been a good call for pass interference, I wish they would have stayed with it.”<\/p>\n
Here’s video of that controversial touchdown:<\/p>\n
Mahomes and Kelce for 6\ufe0f\u20e3 \u203c\ufe0f<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfc8 Watch Chiefs-Jaguars on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN App pic.twitter.com\/Zr3UpGuxin<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ESPN (@espn) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Fans were fuming after seeing Mahomes appear to talk his way out of a Chiefs penalty:<\/p>\n That ref just let Mahomes talk him out of offensive PI.<\/p>\n The rules analyst said it was 100% textbook offensive PI.<\/p>\n But they waive the flag and give the chiefs a TD. \ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n \u2014 Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Patrick Mahomes talking to the officials for no OPI pic.twitter.com\/Tr3lE5WIVY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The Chiefs get called for offensive pass interference, Pat Mahomes whines, and the refs take it off\u2026.even though it\u2019s clear as day the block was more than 1 yard downfield. Of course the Chiefs get the call. Only worth 4 extra points pic.twitter.com\/EQ76DkOPoF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 CFBBlueprint (@CFBBluePrint) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Mahomes tells the refs it\u2019s not a flag and the chiefs go up 7. Jags have to get their money up and start paying the refs pic.twitter.com\/BKBHJ7waBA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Nado \ud83c\udf2a\ufe0f (@SandblasterSzn) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n *Ref throws flag for blatant offensive pass interference*<\/p>\n Mahomes: \u201cThat wasn\u2019t pass interference\u201d<\/p>\n Ref: \u201cOh okay my bad. Touchdown!\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n MAHOMES JUST TALKED THE REFS INTO WRONGLY PICKING UP A FLAG.<\/p>\n \u2014 Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n i just watched Mahomes bully the ref into picking up the flag \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude2d pic.twitter.com\/9Ahu0Qm3Ze<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) October 7, 2025<\/a>More NFL on Sports Illustrated