Buffalo Bills fans aren’t the only ones questioning the officiating during their heartbreaking 32-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
Multiple controversial calls have dominated the conversation, particularly a disputed catch by Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy and a pivotal spot on a 4th-and-1 quarterback sneak by Josh Allen, which officials ruled came up short. (Not to mention the previous third down play.)
Appearing on The Jim Rome Show, Bills legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Reed weighed in on the controversy, offering his perspective on the officiating and the challenges Buffalo faced in Kansas City.
When asked if the Bills would have won had those calls gone in their favor, Reed acknowledged it was possible, but he also noted that Buffalo’s performance on the field could have been better.
He emphasized that overcoming adversity at Arrowhead Stadium goes well beyond just beating the Chiefs.
“The bottom line is you just gotta go out there and not play against the refs, but you kind of to a center point,” Reed admitted.
“A lot of Chiefs are going to tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. That might be the case. But when you go into Kansas City, you gotta beat a lot of people.
“You gotta beat the team. You gotta beat the fans. You gotta beat the refs. You gotta beat Taylor Swift. You gotta beat everybody.
“If you just go out there and throw that all out the window and beat Kansas City at their own game, and beat them, that all is never gonna be said. … We didn’t do that.”
Reed’s comments resonate with the growing chorus of voices on social media expressing frustration, with many calling the NFL “rigged” in favor of the Chiefs.
Even former NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino shared his thoughts, admitting that his own brother believes the league is fixed – an assertion he staunchly rejected.
The Chiefs have gotten the benefit of calls, but good teams make their own breaks,” Blandino said. “My brother, who is convinced that the league is rigged, that is convinced that I signed an NDA when I left the league office that I cannot tell anybody that it is rigged because I was head of officiating.
“There’s no conspiracy. The officials, there’s too many variables, there’s too much going on.”
Turning his attention back to the Bills, Reed reflected on what lies ahead for the franchise in the offseason.
With key decisions to be made regarding coaching staff and player personnel, Reed emphasized that the Bills have one major asset to rely on in 2025: the unwavering support of their passionate fan base.
“They’re the most resilient fans in all of sports,” Reed said, offering words of encouragement to Bills Mafia as the team looks to bounce back next season.
For now, the question remains: Will Josh Allen and the Bills ever be able to get over the hump that is Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs?
While we’re on the subject, what are your thoughts on the idea that there’s a major Chiefs-bias and that the league is rigged???
