Chiefs complaining forced Roger Goodell's hand on controversial penalty

I am not one to fell any sympathy for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who makes an exorbitant amount of money to essentially work for ownership and deal with issues they'd rather not discuss. He is a mouthpiece, and a well-paid one at that. It's his job.

Goodell was put on the spot about a late offensive offsides call in the Chiefs-Bills game on Sunday which went against Kansas City wide receiver Kadarius Toney. While the replay clearly shows Toney with his foot across the line, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs were surprised by the penalty so late in the game -- and the fact that the officiating crew did not direct Toney back behind the line of scrimmage before the snap.

“There was no question about that foul. It was absolutely the correct call," Goodell said on Wednesday.

I can't believe we've gotten here, but this is the first time in modern NFL history that I have agreed with Roger Goodell. Miracles happen every day, folks.

Why are the Chiefs so mad about this offsides call?

The Chiefs are used to winning...a lot. Mahomes, for one, has rarely faced the adversity he does this season, with a poorly-constructed receiving corps outside of Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. Toney is just one of those disappointments, and though Kelce and Mahomes will come to his defense time and time again, he's cost Kansas City at least two games this season.

Was it unusual to see an offensive offsides call with two minutes left in the fourth quarter? Sure. Was it also unusual to see a grown man who is paid to play football line up in the neutral zone? Also, yes.

Mahomes went as far as to call out the officials postgame, and even vented his frustration to Josh Allen when the clock hit triple zeros. Andy Reid appeared to question the decision as well.

I'm quick to blame the league's officials when they are wrong -- and there have been plenty of terrible calls this season, don't get me wrong -- but the Chiefs are not coming across well to neutral observers right now. For once, the refs got it right.