Happy New Year 2025

Tag: AFC

NFL star Xavier Worthy recalls meeting Taylor Swift after Chiefs’ AFC title game win: ‘She’s taller than me’

NFL rookie Xavier Worthy is sharing some details about meeting Taylor Swift.

The music star made her way to the field inside Arrowhead Stadium shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game.

Cameras captured Worthy taking note of Swift’s stature moments after he greeted the “Anti-Hero” singer.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

“Oh s—,” Worthy said as he smiled. “She’s taller than me.”

The Chiefs’ roster lists Worthy at 5-foot-11. By most accounts, Swift stands around one inch shorter than the Chiefs wide receiver. While Swift and Worthy are similar heights when flat-footed, the heels Swift was wearing at the time of the exchange could have made her appear to be taller than Worthy.

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Worthy later confirmed Sunday’s game marked the first time he met Swift.

“I just met her.” Worthy told ABC 30. “It’s the video going viral right now. I was like, ‘Damn, she’s tall. She’s taller than me.’”

Worthy added that Swift recognized him because Kansas City selected him in the first round of April’s draft.

“We were on the field, and she walked right past me and said, ‘Oh you’re the one who got drafted?” Worthy said. “So, we met like that. It was cool.”

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)

Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, recently said the pop star continues to support him.

“She’s fully encouraging me to enjoy playing this game,” Kelce said earlier this month.

Kelce, 35, is playing in his 12th season in the NFL. He appeared in 16 of 17 games and finished the year with 823 receiving yards.

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The 2024 campaign marked the second consecutive year the star tight end did not reach the 1,000-yard receiving mark, which prompted some questions about whether he would step away once the postseason comes to an end.

“I got all the support in the world to keep chasing these dreams,” Kelce added.

Kansas City has advanced to the last seven AFC title games. The Chiefs will take on the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl Feb. 9 in New Orleans. The Chiefs are vying for an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl championship.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 31, 2025
Bills GM Brandon Beane discusses controversial 4th-down play in AFC title game: ‘He got that’

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane heard what the league office had to say, but he still believes his quarterback picked up a crucial first down in the AFC Championship.

The Bills were crushed by the Kansas City Chiefs once again in the playoffs, falling just short of a Super Bowl appearance in a 32-29 loss on the road this past Sunday.

One of the most controversial plays from the game was a fourth-and-inches quarterback sneak by Josh Allen. In real-time, it appeared that he made the gain, but referees called him short, forcing a turnover on downs to the Chiefs.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen walks off the field after the AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Five plays later, Patrick Mahomes rushed into the end zone for his second rushing score of the game to take a seven-point lead after a two-point conversion.

Other than the controversial spot, the play prior, where Dalton Kincaid appeared to pick up the first down, is just as questionable. And replay shows a Chiefs player was lined up in the neutral zone when Allen took the snap on the sneak attempt, which should’ve been flagged for a first down.

Beane discussed that particular sequence of events on Thursday.

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“It’s frustrating,” he said, per SI.com. “There’s only so much I can say. We work with the league to try to get clarity. I’ll give them credit. They’ve taken our calls. They’ve sent video and things like that. If you’re talking about like the fourth-down play, I feel like [Allen] got that. I still feel like he got that. I felt that in the moment and nothing has changed my mind on that.”

Earlier in the game, a crucial replay review confirmed a catch by Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy, and it also bothered Beane. Defensive back Cole Bishop went up with Worthy for an interception, and it appeared both of them had their hands around the ball as the tip of the pigskin hit the ground.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen dives for a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Like the later play, it resulted in a Chiefs touchdown as Mahomes scampered into the end zone.

“The play that we challenged was a good challenge,” he explained. “I’m not sure either player had possession on the Bishop-Worthy play when the ball touched the ground.”

Some fans have accused referees of favoring the Chiefs during this Super Bowl run, with another controversial call coming in the divisional round against the Houston Texans.

Will Anderson Jr. was called for a personal foul, a 15-yard penalty, for a hit to the head on Mahomes despite replay showing that wasn’t the case. Nonetheless, the third-and-long that wasn’t converted on an overthrown pass gave the Chiefs more life on their drive.

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Officiating will be a storyline heading into this matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, especially after fans believed their previous Super Bowl meeting two seasons ago ended controversially after James Bradberry was called for holding JuJu Smith-Schuster.

The penalty set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal to start this streak for the Chiefs.

Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox and streaming exclusively on Tubi.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025
Bills star Dawson Knox gives ‘all the glory to Jesus’ even after AFC Championship loss

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox is leaning on his faith in both good times and bad.

The Bills were knocked out of the playoffs after suffering a narrow loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game on Sunday. MVP front-runner Josh Allen fell to 0-4 against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs as the Chiefs move on to the Super Bowl, where they’ll attempt to make history.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) celebrates with quarterback Josh Allen (17) and tight end Dawson Knox (88) after a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)

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Despite the heartbreaking end, Knox spoke openly about his faith and his optimism for next season.

“I think it’s easy to be all happy and praise the Lord in the good times, but I wanna give all the glory to Jesus,” Knox. “He’s the reason I’m here, and I’ve got so much gratitude for this building and everybody in here that makes this team so special for this whole city. There’s truly nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox (88) runs against Kansas City Chiefs safety Jaden Hicks (21) during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

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Knox acknowledged that change in the offseason is inevitable, but added that he believes the Bills will be back in the playoffs next season.

“To Jesus goes all the glory, and I really just am grateful for the season that we had — obviously not the result we wanted. Lots of heartbreak, lots of sad emotions just coming up short, but there’s still those exciting feelings inside that there’s more out there. We’ll be back next year. The future’s bright.”

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Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

The Bills, who have won five-straight division titles, became the first team to win 11 or more games over five straight seasons that didn’t reach the Super Bowl at least once over that span.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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January 29, 2025
Tony Romo accuses Travis Kelce of flopping after key Chiefs TD in AFC title game

The dramatic AFC Championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills included two officiating storylines that were the talk of the NFL world during the game and one that was a bit more underappreciated.

Patrick Mahomes’ touchdown run in the second quarter saw a penalty come flying at the end of the play. Bills safety Damar Hamlin tried to tackle Mahomes before he reached the end zone but was unsuccessful.

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Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates onstage after the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills in Kansas City, Mo., on Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Mahomes’ momentum carried him and Hamlin a few more yards before the quarterback was tackled. Travis Kelce came over and gave Hamlin a few extra words after the touchdown. It wasn’t clear what the tight end said.

Bills defensive lineman Jordan Phillips came over in defense of Hamlin and got into the Chiefs star’s grill. Kelce flailed backward and Phillips was called for a penalty.

Tony Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback-turned-CBS broadcaster, noticed it and called Kelce out.

“Kelce knows how to get under your skin,” Romo said. “And Phillips comes in … [Kelce] tries for the flop.”

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Tony Romo is pictured before the game between Oklahoma and Alabama in Norman, Okla., on Nov. 23, 2024. (BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The controversial calls around the Chiefs have become a theme of their playoff run so far. Two questionable penalties were called on the Houston Texans in the Chiefs’ divisional round win, and Mahomes tried for a third when he flailed out of bounds after a run.

Mahomes admitted he went a little too far to try to draw a flag.

“I would say that the only one I felt like I probably did too much was the one on the sideline where I didn’t get a flag and the ref saw it and didn’t throw a flag, and I understood it immediately,” he said in a radio interview last week.

“But at the same time, the one that everybody’s talking about where I fell down, it’s like I was just trying to get out of the way of getting smoked by the defensive lineman running in.

“So, I’ll try to keep doing that and not take those hits because that’s the smart way to stay in the football game.”

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All eyes will be on the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX when they play the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 9.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 28, 2025
Taylor Swift thanks Brittany Mahomes for keeping her calm during intense Chiefs AFC title win

Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes were all smiles on Sunday night as they joined their partners on the field to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC Championship win over the Buffalo Bills.

Photos showed Swift and Mahomes embracing on the field as they watched Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes accept the Lamar Hunt Trophy and talk about the possibility of making history with a potential third consecutive Super Bowl championship.

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Recording artist Taylor Swift, left, and Brittany Mahomes react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

A video also showed what Swift told Mahomes on the field as confetti fell onto GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

“Oh my God, you kept me so calm the last couple weeks,” the pop star said, which was captured by The Kansas City Star on TikTok.

Mahomes had a little more experience in handling the high-pressure moments that the Chiefs have dealt with over the last few years. The Associated Press noted that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has trailed in the fourth quarter in nine playoff games and has won the game in six of those times. He forced overtime in two others before losing.

Recording artist Taylor Swift reacts after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

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Swift got to witness firsthand just how wild Chiefs games could get when they won against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVII.

“I did not know what to do, and I told Brittany, ‘Tell me it’s gonna be OK,’” she told Donna Kelce on the field.

In the end, it was.

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The Chiefs drove up the field to deliver the go-ahead field goal from Harrison Butker. Their defense was able to do enough to stymie Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense in the closing seconds to hold on for the win.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 28, 2025
Brittany Mahomes rips Bills fans over ‘absolutely disgusting’ Week 11 stunt after AFC title win

Brittany Mahomes got the last laugh over Buffalo Bills fans on Sunday as she watched her husband and the Kansas City Chiefs win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl LIX.

Mahomes fired off a post on her Instagram Stories following the team’s 32-29 win directed at the Bills Mafia. She didn’t forget about the noose a group of Bills fans hung around a Kermit the Frog doll dressed as Patrick Mahomes before the two teams met in Week 11.

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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes before the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

“Do we remember this Buffalo? Absolutely disgusting… So as you go home tonight, I pray we become better people,” she wrote in the post.

The Bills won the game 30-21 in the regular-season matchup. It was one of two losses the Chiefs had this season. It also came at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, instead of Kansas City, Missouri.

The difference appeared to be palpable. The Chiefs held strong and a late Patrick Mahomes drive set up a Harrison Butker field goal to help them win the game.

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Brittany Mahomes on the sidelines before the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Jan. 26, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Brittany Mahomes has proven to keep receipts from critics before.

After the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, she fired off a social media post aimed at former NFL star Bart Scott’s prediction the team would miss the playoffs that season. The Chiefs were coming off a Tyreek Hill trade.

After the Chiefs’ AFC title win over the Baltimore Ravens last season, Mahomes had another message for critics.

“We went there. We won. Anyone have anything else to say? See yall in Vegas,” she wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

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The Chiefs will meet the Eagles once again – this time in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The game will take place on FOX and stream on Tubi.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Chiefs’ Drue Tranquill tells critics to ‘kick rocks’ amid avalanche of complaints over team’s AFC title win

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill had no time for critics who used officiating as a catalyst for the team’s AFC Championship win or those who complained about the team making the Super Bowl for the third consecutive time.

Tranquill had nine tackles in the Chiefs’ 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, but as NFL fans complained about this and that, Tranquil responded.

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Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, #23, celebrates after recovering a fumble during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on Dec. 15, 2024. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)

“Shoutout to the @BuffaloBills .. heck of a battle,” he wrote. “The rest of y’all can take all that “ref” talk & kick rocks. We stand on business.”

He also had words for former NFL player Will Compton and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.

Tranquill is a veteran linebacker who started his career with the Los Angeles Chargers. He joined the Chiefs before the start of the 2023 season and was a part of the defense that guided Kansas City to a Super Bowl title over the San Francisco 49ers last season.

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Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis, #22, recoveres his own fumble against Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, #23, during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Entering the 2024 season, he became the team’s starter. He played in 16 of the team’s 17 games. He had 94 tackles, two sacks, two pass break-ups and two fumble recoveries. The Chiefs were fourth in points allowed and ninth in yards allowed this season.

Kansas City allowed at least 30 points twice this season – to the Bills and the Denver Broncos. Both games were in the regular season and both resulted in the team’s only two losses.

Additionally, Tranquill has 14 tackles in the two games the Chiefs have played in the postseason so far.

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The run defense will be key in Super Bowl LIX. Saquon Barkley has proven to be the Philadelphia Eagles’ key X-factor this season and will be putting the pedal to the metal come Feb. 9.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift celebrate Chiefs’ AFC Championship win

Taylor Swift was seen entering Arrowhead Stadium to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs in their effort to make history and compete for a third straight Super Bowl championship.

Swift was far from the focal point of the contest as the Chiefs topped the Buffalo Bills. The CBS broadcast showed her reacting to a big play in the game along with at least two shots of her hanging out with her mother, Andrea, and Travis Kelce’s mom, Donna.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The next time Swift was shown was on the field as she and Donna watched Travis celebrate the team’s third consecutive conference title. Cameras also caught the two lovebirds sharing a few kisses in the mix of the celebration.

Swift was a major focus for the NFL and broadcasts during the 2023 season as she and the Chiefs’ star tight end announced themselves to the world as a couple. The “Swift Effect” was real, and her fandom drew an increase in viewership for the game.

However, Swift herself expressed some dismay with the attention she received in a 2023 interview with Time magazine.

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Donna Kelce, left, stands with her son, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, #87, react after the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

“I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in,” she said. “There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once.

“I’m just there to support Travis. I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads,” she added, referencing the hype that came with her appearances – good and bad.

This season, Swift was seen at Arrowhead Stadium a few times, but she also had to continue with her “Eras Tour.” When the Chiefs were off, she and Kelce were spotted in New York City having dinner multiple times.

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Now, Swift is likely to be back for the big game when Super Bowl LIX heads down to New Orleans.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
NFL fans unleash fury at refs over Bills’ questionable ball spot in AFC title game loss

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NFL officiating was a talking point in the midst of the biggest game of the year between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night in the AFC Championship.

The Bills were stuck with a 4th-and-1 with about 13 minutes to play in the game. Josh Allen ran a quarterback sneak to try to achieve first-down yardage. At first glance, the push from his teammates appeared to be unsuccessful in getting a new set of downs.

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Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, #32, hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, #17, during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The game was stopped as officials reviewed the play. The CBS broadcast appeared to show the two sideline judges initially disagreeing with the spot of the ball. One official spotted the ball closer to the marker than the other.

The replay appeared to show Allen may have gotten the ball across the line as he inched backward into Chiefs defensive linemen. However, officials ruled that Allen did not get the ball to the marker, and Buffalo turned the ball over.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, #17, warms up before the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

NFL fans watching the game were highly critical of the ball spot and expressed it as much during the game.

The Chiefs scored on the following drive. Buffalo did tie the game on the next possession. However, it was Harrison Butker’s field goal and a Chiefs defensive stop that put an end to the game.

Kansas City won, 32-29.

The Allen stop was not the only questionable call in the game. A huge Xavier Worthy play in the second quarter was ruled a catch despite the ball seemingly touching the ground.

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The Chiefs scored on the drive as well.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025
Chiefs catch break on crucial 1st-half play in AFC Championship; fans wonder if refs got it right

The Kansas City Chiefs received a favorable call late in the first half of the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

On 3rd-and-5 with 3:13 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and found just enough space to throw up a ball to Xavier Worthy. The rookie wide receiver and Bills safety Cole Bishop both leaped for the ball. It appeared Bishop may have gotten the ball while he was in the air, but Worthy managed to get his arm around it as they came down the ground.

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Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy works for a catch against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the AFC Championship, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The officials ruled that Worthy had completed the catch, and it was the Chiefs’ ball instead of an interception for the Bills. Buffalo was also called for a holding penalty, so it was unlikely the ball would have gone back to them.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott challenged whether it was a completed catch. The replay appeared to show the tip of the football hitting the ground. But still, the play was ruled a catch.

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Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambles for a touchdown during the first half of the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

A few plays later, the Chiefs scored on a Patrick Mahomes touchdown run. Kansas City had a 21-10 lead.

NFL fans were quick to point out that the questionable call went in the favor of the Chiefs.

NFL officials’ alleged favoritism toward the Chiefs was in the spotlight over questionable calls in their divisional round win over the Houston Texans.

Mahomes was asked about the alleged favoritism during the week.

“I don’t feel that way,” he said. “… I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and proper as best they can.

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“For me, it’s go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 27, 2025