BREAKING: NFL referee under fire again after Chiefs’ official statement backfires.

The NFL Referees Association’s latest blunder created even more controversy ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid for three straight Super Bowl titles.

The NFL referees can’t seem to get out of their own way when it comes to the conspiracy theories involving the Kansas City Chiefs.

On February 4, exactly five days before the Super Bowl 59 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL Referees Association released an official statement blasting these conspiracy theories as “insulting and preposterous.” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero shared the full statement on X.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes speaks with an NFL referee.

Statement from NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green, who says: “It is insulting and preposterous to hear conspiracy theories that somehow 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officials are colluding to assist one team.”

“The NFL Referees Association, the union representing all NFL officials, appreciates the NFL Commissioner’s comments yesterday about our members’ unwavering dedication to fairness and maintaining the integrity of the game,” the press release began before quoting NFLRA executive director Scott Green.

How NFL refs got off scot-free after controversial Chiefs-Bills calls

“Commissioner [Roger] Goodell’s comments that it is ‘ridiculous’ to presume that NFL Officials are not doing everything possible to make the right call on every play is spot on,” Green voiced within the statement. “Officiating crews do not work the same team more than twice each regular season. It is insulting and preposterous to hear conspiracy theories that 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officials are colluding to assist one team.”

The press release went on to highlight the fact that NFL officials are “graded every week” on “every single play of each game.” The best of the best in terms of grades are then awarded the Super Bowl, meaning this weekend’s crew has earned this assignment — just like the Chiefs and Eagles.

“There are many things that fans can worry about over a 17-game season, such as coaching decisions, player injuries, the weather and, yes, even close calls on incredible plays made by incredible athletes,” Green continued later. “But you can rest assured that on every single down, NFL Officials, both on the field and in the replay booth are doing everything humanly possible to officiate every play correctly.”

As Green noted, Goodell addressed the idea of rigged football games on February 3, and the commissioner actually did a pretty good job of doing it in a way that didn’t further the situation. Both the NFL and the NFL Referees Association probably should have just left it at that and turned their attention to the Super Bowl.

Instead, they went and poured gasoline on the fire by releasing this statement.

“The fact they even needed to address this speaks volumes,” Denver Broncos reporter Zack Kelberman weighed in.

And a similar fan response read: “It’s hilarious that they actually released this statement.”

“‘Don’t believe your eyes, just trust me,’” a third comment joked sarcastically. While a fourth user suggested: “Just hold a higher standard, have full time refs, make accountability more transparent!”

Finally, one fan replied: “What’s insulting is how poorly officials do their job. That allows for conspiracy theories.”

There were thousands of other comments and quoted posts of Pelissero’s report as well, and the large majority of them were negative. Clearly, this attempt to reason with fans backfired completely — and that’s not great news for the Chiefs.

If they win on Sunday, some will always claim their three-peat deserves an asterisk, and if they lose, they come just short of a historic accomplishment. Obviously, the Chiefs must ignore the noise and focus on securing a victory, but it doesn’t make things any easier when the referees continue to create a lose-lose situation for KC.

In recent weeks, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been asked about Kansas City potentially being the beneficiary of many close calls and head coach Andy Reid was even asked about these conspiracy theories.

On February 3, superstar tight end Travis Kelce spoke for the entire team and fanbase when he was asked what question he’d have for the media (via FOX Sports: NFL on X).

Travis Kelce on if he could ask the media one question:

“Why are you guys leaning into this whole ref thing?”

After pondering his response for a moment, Kelce asked: “Why are you guys leaning into this whole ref thing?” Sending a very clear message in the process.

It’s become pretty obvious that the Chiefs locker room is no fan of this narrative — and why would they be? All it does is discredit their hard work and lessen their accomplishments. And on top of that, the endless questions have become an annoyance for all involved.

Unfortunately, this story isn’t going away. And the more the referees attempt to justify their overall performance — in all games, not just Chiefs outings — instead of finding ways to better themselves, the worse this situation is going to get.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL and NHL for Heavy.com, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins, as well as the New York Rangers and New York Islanders. An NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate, his previous bylines include FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. More about Michael Obermuller

Related Posts

Mel Kiper warns Buffalo Bills: This year’s NFL Draft decision could be a mistake they ‘regret’ in the future.

The Buffalo Bills are headed into the 2025 season with sky-high expectations. In January, they lost in the AFC Championship Game, falling to the Chiefs in the playoffs for the…

The Chiefs cleverly bolstered their roster with smart picks on Day 3, aiming to mitigate the risk of the Rashee Rice scandal.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is one of the best in the business. Andy Reid’s team has appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls and…

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers prioritized bolstering their defense with the selection of Elijah Roberts from SMU in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, promising to add strength to their defensive lineup in the new season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued adding to the defense in the 2025 NFL Draft as day three progressed, selecting SMU defensive linemen Elijah Roberts. The fifth-round draft…

Buffalo Bills make a splash at NFL Draft, acquiring defensive star T.J. Sanders.

The Buffalo Bills are shaking things up in this year’s NFL Draft, making a bold move to claim South Carolina’s defensive tackle T.J. Sanders. In a calculated…

Travis Kelce attracted attention when he appeared in Las Vegas with a mysterious pop star, not Taylor Swift, causing a stir among fans.

Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift have been taking a break from the spotlight, but he was spotted over the weekend. Travis Kelce and…

Bulls’ Decision to Extend Lonzo Ball Called Into Question..anhtruc.

  Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls Lonzo Ball signed a two-year $20 million contract extension with the Chicago Bulls earlier this season. The deal will have…