By Chris Licata
The Kansas City Chiefs narrowly escaped Week 13 with a 19-17 win over the rival Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday, clinching a playoff berth in the process.
With the Raiders on the verge of a potential game-winning field goal with under 30 seconds to play, rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball prematurely to quarterback Aidan O’Connell, leading to a fumble recovery by the Kansas City defense. However, a penalty flag delayed the game for a few moments while officials discussed an infraction.
Referee Clay Martin announced an illegal shift penalty against the Raiders, which Chiefs head coach Andy Reid declined, giving the ball back to Patrick Mahomes to kneel down to end the game.
Following multiple polarizing finishes involving the 11-1 Chiefs this season, football fans flocked to social media to take out some of their frustration on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
“The Chiefs are really Roger Goodell’s favorites, and it’s disgusting to see. Never seen a team benefit so much from flukey calls/circumstances,” a fan wrote on X.
“This was a disgusting way for Roger Goodell to end it,” another fan remarked.
“Did Roger Goodell just call that final play in as part of the script??? No way the chiefs just won off that….. #BlackFridayGAME,” another added.