Bills GM definitely has a fine coming after complaining about refs' Josh Allen decision

Buffalo Bills fans thought that the 2024 NFL season was finally going to be the year they'd overcome their demons and knock the Kansas City Chiefs out of the playoffs. As expected, they came very close to doing so, but in the end, fell short of their ultimate goal, losing 32-29 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Several factors explain why the Bills fell short. Their defense, despite Patrick Mahomes completing just 18 passes, still surrendered 32 points. Their offense, despite scoring 29 points, came up short on a couple of key drives that might have swung the game in Buffalo's favor. Bills fans, though, expectedly, pointed the finger at the refs.

Several questionable calls aided the Chiefs in their win. Losing for the fourth time in five years in the playoffs against Mahomes and Co. had Bills GM Brandon Beane as frustrated as you'll ever see a general manager. In his end-of-season press conference, he made sure to let the NFL know what he thought about the officiating in Sunday's contest.

Brandon Beane speaks for all of Bills Mafia with end-of-season tirade aimed at refs

"If we're talking about the fourth down play, I feel like he got that. I still feel like he got that. I felt that in the moment, and nothing has changed my mind on that," Beane said.

Beane, understandably, is still upset about the controversial fourth down call which, of course, went Kansas City's way. On a fourth-and-1 play in the fourth quarter, the Bills handed the ball off to Josh Allen, expecting him to get the first down and move the chains. The referees ruled Allen down ahead of the yard to gain, forcing a turnover and handing the ball to Kansas City with Buffalo holding a skinny one-point lead.

The CBS feed seemed to think he got it, and many NFL fans felt the same way, even those who didn't have a horse in the race. Unfortunately for Buffalo, the refs ruled Allen short on the field, and did not find clear evidence to overturn the call on video replay.

If this one call was all it took, then there's a good chance Beane would've let the officiating go. He had more to say, though, and this other call might be more egregious than the fourth down call.

"The play that we challenged I thought was a good challenge. I'm not sure either player had possession on the Bishop-Worthy play when the ball touched the ground."

It's clear as day after watching replays that neither Xavier Worthy nor Cole Bishop had possession of the football before it hit the ground. Instead of calling the play incomplete, the refs gave Worthy the catch after a Buffalo challenge, allowing the Chiefs to get into the red zone. The Allen run was really hard to make a ruling on, so siding with what was called on the field made sense. This play, though, felt more cut-and-dry, and yet, it went Kansas City's way.

Beane did not even mention the lack of a taunting call against Travis Kelce. Sure, it's the playoffs, but had the situation been reversed and the Bills were taunting, should anyone believe that would've gone uncalled?

To Beane's credit, he made it clear at the end of his statement that the referees were not the reason that the Bills lost this game. That's something Allen noted in his postgame presser as well. The Bills had chances that they squandered, and that's why the game went Kansas City's way at the end of the day.

Still, Beane going out of his way to criticize two plays that he believed were critical mistakes made by the referees, even if he's in the right, will almost certainly result in a hefty fine going his way. For a frustrated GM, though, speaking his mind about the referees probably made whatever fine is coming his way worthwhile.