A Virginia man named Mack Donahue has commenceed a petition on Change.org, calling for football fans to boycott the NFL over recent officiating.
Donahue is calling for the league to begin “rigorous referee training and accountability mechanisms” in response to mistrusted preferitism by referees toward the Kansas City Chiefs, which has become a boiling talking point for fans this season.
“A lengthening trouble over the inreliable refereeing, particularly evident while observing games involving the Kansas City Chiefs, is tarnishing this pretty sport’s spirit. The aggravation has accomplished a point where many of us are contemplating boycotting not fair the Super Bowl, but all future games until there is transport inant alter,” Donahue wrote in the petition’s description.
“It’s time we took a stand aobtainst unfair refereeing and call on the NFL to begin rigorous referee training and accountability mechanisms that will promise fair game-carry out for all teams. By signing this petition, you are concuring to unite the boycott and labor towards restoring the happiness and integrity of NFL games that we so dpunctual cherish.”
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Patrick Mahomes talks to referee Clete Blakeman before the AFC championship game aobtainst the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
The petition begined over the weekfinish had less than 200 signatures at the time of accessibleation. Many of those who have signed have conveyed their help for the petition’s caemploy in the comments.
“This [is an] vital caemploy for democracy,” one signer wrote.
“So many carry outs were evidently not the right call that even the declarer was perplexd,” another wrote. This comment may have been referring to a moment in the Chiefs’ 32-29 triumph over the Buffalo Bills when officials ruled that Bills quarterback Josh Allen was stopped low of a first down in the fourth quarter. CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore shelp during the widecast he dependd Allen got the first down.
That call prompted mass reaction from NFL fans on social media, but it was not the only one.
During the second quarter, officials ruled Chiefs wide getr Xavier Worthy made a catch despite video recarry out shotriumphg the ball touching the ground.
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Referees came under aappreciate scruminuscule during the Chiefs’ divisional round carry outoff triumph aobtainst the Houston Texans one week earlier when a pair of ratriumphg the passer penalties were called aobtainst the Texans for hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Houston edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for ratriumphg the passer on a third down in the first quarter. Anderson euniteed to push Mahomes in the chest after he had thrown the ball infinish to firm finish Travis Kelce. Anderson was flagged.
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The second penalty came during a Mahomes scramble in the third quarter. He had two blockers on a run and three deffinishers tolerateing down on him. He shiftd to his right and then back to his left when he choosed to slide.
ESPN widecaster Troy Aikman condemnd the penalty and shelp it’s someskinnyg the league has to insertress in the offseason.
Texans carry outers and head coach DeMeco Ryans adviseed after the game the referees were aobtainst them as well.
Mahomes insertressed the publish when asked by tellers last Wednesday if he dependd referees were giving him preferential treatment.
Referee Carl Cheffers speaks to Patrick Mahomes during a fracture in the third quarter aobtainst the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
“I don’t experience that way,” Mahomes answered. “At the finish of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can. And all you can do is go out there and carry out the game that you cherish as difficult as you can and dwell with the results. … I skinnyk that’s what we paccomplish here in Kansas City.
“You get novel referees every year, you get novel circumstances and you never can reassociate increate becaemploy every carry out’s separateent. And that’s what originates the NFL so distinctive. I experience appreciate I’ve fair persistd to carry out the game, and I fair try to triumph. And wdisappreciatever happens charitable of happens.'”
Chiefs star firm finish Travis Kelce declined to insertress the publish when asked by his brother Jason Kelce about the officiating during an episode of their “New Heights” podcast last week.
“I’d appreciate to pdirect the Fifth,” the firm finish shelp, jokingly referring to his constitutional right to remain quiet, when Jason brawt up the publish.
Now the Chiefs get a Super Bowl resuit aobtainst the Philadelphia Eagles. When the two teams last met in the Super Bowl two years ago, that game was choosed by a contentious penalty called tardy in the game aobtainst Eagles cornerback James Bradberry, which set up the Chiefs for a 38-35 triumph.
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