{"id":20738,"date":"2025-01-20T07:53:46","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T07:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20738"},"modified":"2025-01-20T07:53:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T07:53:46","slug":"breaking-nfl-referee-breaks-silence-on-texans-controversial-calls-favoring-patrick-mahomes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=20738","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : NFL referee breaks silence on Texans’ controversial calls favoring Patrick Mahomes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Texans got explanations from the refs on the questionable penalties.<\/p>\n

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The\u00a0K<\/a>ansas City Chiefs\u00a0were the beneficiaries of a few questionable calls against the\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a0on Saturday afternoon – or so star defensive lineman Will Anderson Jr claims.<\/p>\n

“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Anderson said after he was flagged for\u00a0roughing the passer on a Chiefs star\u00a0quarterback\u00a0Patrick Mahomes’ incomplete pass to tight end\u00a0Travis Kelce\u00a0during the team’s second drive.<\/p>\n

Referee Clay Martin told reporters, “I had forcible contact to the face mask area, and so I went with roughing the passer on that play.” While Anderson didn’t like the call,\u00a0NFL\u00a0Senior VP of Officiating Walt Anderson made it clear the officials made the right call during the game.<\/p>\n

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Patrick Mahomes speaks with officials.<\/p>\n

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

“When the defenders come in and they end up coming in face-to-face, if there’s contact to the head of the quarterback that’s probably going to be called by the officials,” he said in regard to the penalty on Anderson. “…Now it has to be forcible, and one of the things we added this year is if there’s no contact at all to the helmet replay can assist, but on this play, there was contact.”<\/p>\n

“…You can end up having the debate on whether it was forceful or not, and that’s going to be one of those conversations for the competition committee to consider next year. But when he comes in right there face-to-face, officials are going to call that.”<\/p>\n

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