Are the refs really a factor? Analyzing the actual data behind the Chiefs’ officiating bias

Super Bowl LIX will be a heavyweight rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles but many fans are going to be focusing on one thing — the officials. You'd be hard-pressed to find any NFL fan who doesn't have an opinion on how the league and referees have handled the AFC Champions' games over the last few years.

Kansas City is on the brink of a historic three-peat and just about any team that has been eliminated by the Chiefs on the way to their previous two trips to the big game has made an issue of the lack of penalty calls going against the Chiefs in those games.

While it sounds like petty whining, there's actually a bit of statistical data to back those claims. Analyst Warren Sharp brought to light some interesting factoids about the penalty history relating to Kansas City's past playoff successes.

Data backs playoff officiating bias in favor of Kansas City Chiefs

Based on Sharp's analysis, here's a table detailing what kind of penalties have been called against the Chiefs vs. their opponents in playoff games over the past four seasons.

Sharp also pointed out that in Kansas City's 11 playoff games over that span, it had 18 expected points off those penalties that were of benefit. Nine of those games ended within a one-score deficit.

What's more a coincidence, the Chiefs have had exactly nine more games in which their opponent has accrued more penalty yardage than them. In comparison, the Cincinnati Bengals have five less (seven total games, six where they were penalized more than their opponent).

The data appears very damning but there's one thing that no fan or analyst can prove without irrefutable evidence and that's intent. For now, nobody can definitively prove the league and referees intend to assist Kansas City as it aims to win three consecutive Super Bowls for the first time ever.

However, that won't stop the internet sleuths and couch rules experts from claiming they've figured out the grand conspiracy behind the biggest entertainment league in the U.S. The best course of action will be just to enjoy the game and try to ignore when the inevitable controversial call happens.