Rock and Wrolstad: Why Sunday’s Referee Should Concern Chiefs’ Pass-Rushers

Sunday's referee also witnessed unbelievable moment from Patrick Mahomes in 2018.

Nov 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) talks to referee Craig Wrolstad (left) during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Watch out, Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. The officiating crew for this week’s Chiefs game led by referee Craig Wrolstad is among league leaders in calling roughing the passer.

Detroit (4-1) visits Kansas City (2-3) on Sunday Night Football (7:20 p.m. CT, NBC/KSHB-TV, Channel 41, 96.5 The Fan) and the pass rush figures to play a big role for both teams. The Lions rank second in the league with 16 sacks, while the Chiefs are tied for ninth with 13. And while NFL crews average 0.4 roughing-the-passer calls per game, Wrolstad has averaged 1.0.

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) pressures Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) in the second quarter during a Monday Night NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug EngleFlorida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In Wrolstad’s game last week, Tampa Bay’s thrilling 38-35 win at Seattle, he called two of those (one on each team). The most significant came in the fourth quarter of a tie game when Wrolstad flagged Buccaneers defensive end Logan Hall, a controversial call.

Sam Darnold on the play completed a 22-yard pass to Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and with the 15 yards added to the end of the play, Seattle went from its own 34-yard line to Tampa Bay’s 29. Four plays later, the Seahawks scored a touchdown to go up 35-28 with 3:18 remaining.  

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws downfield against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Hall appeared to dip his head slightly and hit Darnold at chest level before pulling off. The quarterback remained upright.

“Somebody’s got to stand up for the defensive guys here,” three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year said on Wednesday’s edition of the Pat McAfee Show. “This is just bull****.

“You don’t want us to hit him high. You don’t want us to hit him low,” Watt said. “We’re trying to play by your rules. Give us a break.”

Hall didn’t hold back the rest of the game. After Baker Mayfield rallied the Bucs to a 38-35 lead, his pressure on Darnold led to Lavonte David’s game-icing interception.

"These roughing the passer penalties are bullshit..

I don't know what you want these defensive players to do" ~ @JJWatt #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/5PjfKIrmAB

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 8, 2025

Here are some more interesting facts about the Wrolstad crew.

Heavy on volume

• Wrolstad’s group has walked off the fourth-most accepted penalties (76) among NFL crews this year. That count includes games of 19, 19 and 18 flags (the league average per game is 17.7).

• The crew’s most-called penalty is offensive holding (15 times in five games, or 3.0 per game). The league average is 3.1, however. His crew also has called six defensive-pass-interference flags, or 1.2 per game, also aligned with the league average (1.2).

Dec 25, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and tight end Travis Kelce (right) open their Netflix Christmas GameDay cake after the Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Home teams are 4-1

• Of Wrolstad’s five games this year, home teams have won four. The only visiting team that won with this crew in 2025 was Tampa Bay last week at Seattle.

Chiefs history

• This is Wrolstad’s first Chiefs game since the Christmas Day win at Pittsburgh last season. In that contest, the Chiefs were flagged for nine of the game’s 13 penalties. Wrolstad, who didn’t have a Chiefs game in 2023 or 2021, has seen Kansas City win in each of his last three Chiefs assignments.

Dec 27, 2020; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks to an official in the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

• He officiated the Chiefs’ 34-28 win at Denver in 2022 and the team’s 17-14 home win over Atlanta in 2022, when Younghoe Koo missed a last-minute field goal. In that Falcons game, Wrolstad’s crew threw five fourth-quarter penalties on the Chiefs.

• Wrolstad flipped the coin when Indianapolis came to Kansas City and won, 19-13, in 2019. In that game, the crew threw 14 flags against the Chiefs, 11 of which were accepted.

Oct 1, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) hands off the ball to Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) in the third quarter at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

• And in a Monday night thriller at Denver in 2018, when Patrick Mahomes completed a left-handed pass to Tyreek Hill during a crucial fourth-quarter drive. The Chiefs came back to win, 27-23, with 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Lions history

Wrolstad’s last game involving the Lions was their 2023 home wild-card playoff win over the Rams. In that 24-23 contest at Ford Field, Wrolstad’s crew called just one penalty in the second half, offensive holding against the Rams’ Rob Havenstein.

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