NFL Rules Official Crushed for Defending Calls That Helped Patrick Mahomes vs. Texans

The Chiefs benefited from a few questionable calls in Saturday's win.

NFL Officiating Rules Analyst Walt Anderson broke down some tough calls that went against the Texans on Saturday. / @NFLNetwork

The Kansas City Chiefs advanced to the AFC championship game for a seventh straight year with a 23-14 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday. While Patrick Mahomes added another postseason victory to his stellar career, it didn't come without controversy as he seemed to benefit from a few questionable penalties called against the Texans.

While Troy Aikman wasn't impressed with the calls, fans were also furious as they immediately ripped the refs for making the calls that helped the Chiefs extend drives and score points.

On Sunday morning, the NFL Network's pregame show had a segment with senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson, who broke down why the refs made the right calls in that game.

"The other thing a lot of your audience might not realize is in most all the rule book when in question officials are not supposed to call a foul," Anderson said. "But there is one place in the rule book where it states by rule when in doubt the officials are to [make a call] and it’s in the roughing the passer rule. They’re going to protect the quarterbacks."

Here's his full segment:

NFL Officiating Rules Analyst Walt Anderson appeared on @NFLGameDay with a detailed explanation of the controversial flags thrown Saturday for hits on #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

Short version, per Anderson: Under the rules, officials got both calls right. pic.twitter.com/gIL9OidOQL

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 19, 2025

Fans didn't love that from Anderson:

Laughable. https://t.co/kyP7ICFRWk

— SouthernCard (@SouthernCard) January 19, 2025

Gaslighting 101 https://t.co/QDYJxim5CZ

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 19, 2025

Nothing to see here folks just @NFLOfficiating trying to cover their ass after abysmal calls. https://t.co/vsJQ3S2jP7

— ATX (@Atownatx) January 19, 2025

We have eyes and a brain, my guy.

Weaksauce PR is weak.

Do better. https://t.co/x09dZKg0k8

— UncleDaddy (@LemmythePirate) January 19, 2025

“League puppet backs up the league, even though everyone with eyes knows they’re dead wrong” https://t.co/78JAZp8Gyw

— Ben (@Cacoila) January 19, 2025

I know a thing or two about hairlines, and it should not be the word defining NFL roughing the passer penalties. What are we doing?! https://t.co/4MXZWkwAMi

— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) January 19, 2025

An NFL employee went on a media platform owned by the NFL to talk about how the calls that NFL refs made were the correct ones …. Aight https://t.co/Q6kL2m1gqb

— Swish B (@theboy__B) January 19, 2025

This guys thinks we’re all a bunch of idiots https://t.co/SQKuvC2xeg

— DadGolferMike (@broncosfanatic7) January 19, 2025

---

More From Around the NFL

feed