Kansas City Chiefs Accused of Rigging Games After Patrick Mahomes Was Caught on Hot Mic
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs was caught asking the on-field referee for a favor during his recent game, prompting fans to say the games are rigged.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the talk of social media in Week 10's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos for an incredibly surprising moment caught on a broadcast mic.
As Mahomes scrambled for two yards and got tackled by Broncos safety Brandon Jones, a play eventually overturned by a penalty, he was overheard seemingly asking the referee for a little assist.
- Patrick Mahomes
It's doubtless meant as a light-hearted remark, but that hasn't stopped the comment from heating up online debate.
Fans have taken to X with some humorously speculating and others seriously wondering whether the NFL might be showing some bias toward the Chiefs.
It's not the first time such speculation has arisen, as rumors of bias toward Kansas City have swirled in the past, but Mahomes' hot-mic moment just kept the flames burning.
This controversy arose when Kansas City's offensive line was penalized for improper alignment of that same play, furthering suspicion among fans already on edge.
Adding a twist to this drama, it is reported that singer Taylor Swift, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, FaceTimed with NFL referee Sarah Thomas prior to the game.
Thomas would later officiate it, a coincidence fans would latch onto quite eagerly as the online debates continued.
As ML Football reported on X via KSNT News' Landon Reinhardt, Swift's virtual meet-up with Thomas and Mahomes' on-field banter combined for the perfect storm for fans and pundits alike, continuing those theories and plenty of memes.
Eventually, the Chiefs won a close game against Denver 16-14 and kept their winning streak alive with a 9-0 lead in the AFC West. The Chiefs are to play the Buffalo Bills on November 17.
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mikko Rantanen | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Nathan MacKinnon | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Nick Bjugstad | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Adrian Kempe | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Patrick Kane | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Artturi Lehkonen | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mitch Marner | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| William Nylander | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Aliaksei Protas | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| John Tavares | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Michael Kesselring | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Anze Kopitar | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brett Leason | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Trevor Moore | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Anthony Beauvillier | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jonatan Berggren | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Pavel Dorofeyev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Simon Edvinsson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 16 | 15 | 1 | - | 30 | |
Devils | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 24 | |
Wild | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 23 | |
Panthers | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | |
Hurricanes | 14 | 11 | 3 | - | 22 | |
Kings | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 21 | |
Capitals | 14 | 10 | 4 | - | 20 | |
Golden Knights | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 20 | |
Maple Leafs | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 20 | |
Rangers | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 19 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||