The Kansas City Chiefs have officially returned to the Super Bowl looking to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight championships. For the LA Chargers, it was another painful reminder that the road to the Super Bowl runs through Kansas City (and that may not change anytime soon).
Kansas City can extend its shelf life as a top-tier Super Bowl contender if the team continues to be on the right side of bad officiating. While it might be a tad overblown in the national media, it is worth mentioning the Chiefs were once again on the receiving end of a controversial call against the Bills.
Former Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill takes exception to the ref narrative around the Chiefs even though Kansas City benefitted on Sunday night. Current Chargers players certainly don't feel the same way. Veteran safety Tony Jefferson didn't hesitate to call out Travis Kelce and the fact he gets away with things other players don't.
lol they be letting kelce do whatever. He don’t get flagged
— Tony Jefferson (@Tljefferson23) January 27, 2025
Chargers' Tony Jefferson calls out Chiefs' Travis Kelce, refs
Jefferson is right. Kelce does get away with things other players don't. That is why he is leaning into the narrative and acting like this in the first place. If he didn't get the calls, he wouldn't be doing it.
The play in question happened when Kelce walked over to several Bills defenders after a Chiefs touchdown to taunt in their faces. Kelce was then slightly bumped and attempted to draw a call like he was in the penalty box of a soccer game.
Kelce has mastered the art of doing just enough to get under the skin of his opponents without taking it too far to get the flag. It really has become an art form for Kelce and the Chiefs, who have definitely benefitted from it across the board.
But yet again, it's strange how the Chiefs are so obviously trying to play the referee game to get every possible call they can but then turn around and argue with anyone who says the refs favor them. The Chiefs are literally playing into the narrative! But nobody else is allowed to talk about it.
If anyone knows how the Chiefs are on the field it is Jefferson. Not only did Jefferson spend a season with the Chargers but he matched up against Kansas City several times as a member of the Baltimore Ravens. Jefferson is all too familiar with the games Kelce and the Chiefs play.
As long as the Chiefs keep getting these calls they will continue doing everything in their power to influence the referees and will probably continue to complain about the "false" narrative around them. Maybe Jefferson and the Chargers need to take a class in Kelce flopping 101.