NFL fans convinced refs are calling offensive offsides to make Chiefs look bad
By Scott Rogust
For the past week, the talk has been about Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney's offensive offside penalty negated a potential game-winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. Toney was lined up blatantly offside when the ball was hiked by Patrick Mahomes, who threw a pass to tight end, who then lateraled it to Toney and resulted in the aforementioned touchdown. Mahomes and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid complained that Toney wasn't issued a warning by officials to line up properly, resulting in both getting fined for a total of $150,000.
Again, this dominated the NFL world in the days after the game, debating whether the Chiefs or the officials were in the right. After this drama, there was an uptick in offensive offsides penalties called in Week 15.
On Saturday, the Denver Broncos saw a touchdown wiped out by the officials after they called offensive offside on guard Quinn Meinerz in their game against the Detroit Lions. Meinerz's helmet was in the neutral zone.
During the 1:00 p.m. ET slate on Sunday, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Robbie Chosen was penalized for being offside in his game against the New York Jets. Then, Houston Texans wideout Noah Brown was penalized during his matchup against the Tennessee Titans and effectively negated a 15-yard catch.
The official is telling Robbie Chosen to line up correctly before the snap and avoid an offsides. #Chiefs fans must be fuming!#NYJvsMIA pic.twitter.com/ih6Vuu8CGv
— Mike McDaniel (@MikMcDaniel) December 17, 2023
Noah Brown offsides wipes out a big Texans gain 👀 pic.twitter.com/trP5ydgF9a
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 17, 2023
NFL fans are excessively calling offensive offsides after Chiefs drama
NFL fans noticed the excessive offensive offside calls throughout this weekend, and shared their thoughts on what was transpiring before their eyes.
There’s been at least two offensive offsides calls since the Chiefs debacle, almost like someone (or someones) decided to make it seem more commonplace.🤔
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 17, 2023
Why calling offensive offsides now? @NFL pic.twitter.com/B2jjK0ZfbT
— Austin (@ChefTrillie) December 17, 2023
These refs wanting to call offensive offsides all the time now is hysterical
— Gump Cathcart (@bubbagumpino) December 17, 2023
The #Dolphins were just called for Offensive Offsides. pic.twitter.com/xL9m15fa3q
— Hänsel (@UberHansen) December 17, 2023
NFL now trying to convince us they've always called offensive offsides.
— Kent Swanson #KirklandKing (@kent_swanson) December 17, 2023
Somebody on here tweeted something like “can’t wait for the NFL to call 100 offensive offsides next week to make it seem normal” and it was prophetic.
— Joshua Brisco (@jbbrisco) December 17, 2023
Robbie Chosen hit with the offensive offsides penalty, and it feels like the NFL is making it a point to call that now
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) December 17, 2023
Throwing a bunch of bad offensive offsides flags to make it look normal is the most NFL thing ever
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 17, 2023
The main complaint from the Chiefs after the Bills game was the lack of a warning given by the sideline official to Toney. The head referee for the game, Carl Cheffers, said that they couldn't give Toney a warning on the play, because he was lined so far offside, that he blocked their view of the football.
Reid admitted the following day that Toney was offsides and didn't check with the referee to see if he was lined up properly.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell commented on the controversy during the NFL's December league meeting in Texas, saying that the referees made the right call. Goodell said, "There was no question about that foul. It was absolutely the correct call."
The NFL officials are now letting it be known that they will be looking for offensive offsides during games.
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