Happy New Year 2025

Tag: NFL

Oddsmaker says it is ‘an aberration’ that Vegas, NFL are in cahoots to benefit Chiefs

The consensus is that the Kansas City Chiefs have gotten the benefit of the whistle, but some have taken it a bit far.

Rob Gronkowski even admitted in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that he thought “something” was up with the officials.

But another about whether the NFL has been benefiting the Chiefs, which in turn is giving sportsbooks some extra money.

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Dec. 8, 2019; Foxborough, MA: Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks to a referee during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. (Paul Rutherford-USA Today Sports)

But that’s not happening, said one longtime oddsmaker.

“Not buying it. I just think it’s an aberration,” DraftKings director of sports operations Johnny Avello said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

Avello admitted that the Chiefs “have caught a couple of good calls and breaks for maybe the last half-year or so,” but sometimes, that’s just the way it goes.

“That’ll change at some point,” added Avello. “I don’t think the refs are doing anything intentionally, I just think that it’s happening and things are going their way.”

Avello did admit that the Chiefs provide an added popularity that would lead to more proposition bets.

“The case in point here is the Chiefs have Kelce, Kelce brings Taylor Swift, people see Taylor Swift, then all of a sudden, more people are interested in the NFL, and we start making props around Kelce and the whole team,” said Avello.

DraftKing’s rival in FanDuel even has “Swift Specials” where you could bet propositions that are named as several of Swift’s songs.

Kelce says feeling the support from Swift has been an “amazing experience.” (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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But at the end of the day, “I don’t think any teams are bigger than the game itself,” Avello said.

The Chiefs are currently 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings, a number that has not changed at all since it originally opened almost two weeks ago.

“Usually there’s some movement. . . . Nothing has moved on the side,” Avello said.

However, Avello noted that 70% of money and wagers were on the underdog Philadelphia Eagles.

“In normal circumstances, when you’re getting plus-money on such a small point spread, this is the betting of some bettors, ‘I don’t think a team is gonna win by one, so why am I going to take the 1.5? Might as well take the plus-money. That’s the rationale behind it,” Avello added.

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

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But could people be using their Chiefs fatigue to bet against them? Possibly, but that’s not a sound strategy.

“If you’re betting money, and you want to win a game, I don’t think you should use the dislike factor. You should bet with who you really think is winning the game,” Avello added.

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February 7, 2025
Top NFL Draft prospect talks value of tight ends as Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert prepare for Super Bowl LIX

NEW ORLEANS – Penn State star and top NFL Draft prospect Tyler Warren is preparing to enter his pro career in just a few short months, but before then, he’ll be able to watch two of the best tight ends in the league battle it out for glory on the biggest stage.

Speaking to Fox News Digital ahead of Super Bowl LIX this weekend, Warren shared his thoughts on veteran tight ends Travis Kelce and Dallas Goedert and the impact they’ve had not only on the game, but on the value of the position.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) catches a touchdown pass over Boise State Broncos safety Ty Benefield (0) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium. (IMAGN)

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“I think his ability to always seem to get open, whether it’s one way or the other way – he knows what he does well, and he keeps doing that,” Warren said of the Kansas City Chiefs star. “It’s not about looking a certain way, it’s about doing it and what works for you.”

“To keep being able to be this elite receiving tight end and do all that for this long of a period is really impressive. I think it speaks to his craft and how he attacks each game.”

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates a touchdown catch in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at Paul Brown Stadium. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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Warren went on to praise Goedert’s physicality and versatility, recalling his brutal stiff-arm against Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine, which resulted in 24-yard touchdown in the Eagles’ 22–10 victory over Green Bay in the Wild-Card Round.

“It’s been awesome to watch,” he said. “I think tight ends have really been on [an upward] trend in just their usage, and they’re valuable. It’s been awesome to watch.

PENN STATE ALUM MICAH PARSONS RAVES ABOUT ABDUL CARTER, SAYS NO. 11 MAY BE PUT ON ‘BREAK’ AT SCHOOL

Warren is surely hoping the value in tight ends carries over to the draft where he is projected to get selected in the first round.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren (44) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Boise State Broncos during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Dec. 31, 2024. (IMAGN)

Warren had a standout year at Penn State, earning the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end. En route to the College Football Playoff semifinal, Mackey finished the season with 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. He rushed for another 218 yards and four touchdowns.

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He’s drawn comparisons to some of the NFL’s most elite tight ends, including George Kittle and Rob Gronkowski.

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

Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24, Warren has made a special commitment to his health and fitness journey by partnering with Planet Fitness.

“When you go there, it could be a guy that’s been going for 20 years, or it could be your first day, and you know there’s going to be a spot for you in there and a welcoming environment,” Warren told Fox News Digital.

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February 7, 2025
NFL to expand international footprint over next 2 seasons

The NFL continues to expand its global footprint.

For the first time ever, Dublin, Madrid and Berlin will host NFL regular-season games next season, the NFL announced Friday, just days before the Super Bowl.

The Los Angeles Rams will also host a game in Melbourne, Australia, in 2026, the first time an NFL game is played on that continent.

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during NFL Live Munich at Augustiner-Keller. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play at historic Croke Park in the Irish capital, with their opponent yet to be determined.

“I think the emotion you hear from all of us is the excitement to bring a regular-season game to Ireland with the Steelers and how special that will be. And, yes, it ultimately comes back to the fans,” Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president for international events, said in a statement.

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“We see Irish fans travel to games in London or Germany or elsewhere, but this is a game on Irish soil, in Dublin, at Croke Park, and an opportunity to create an incredible atmosphere.”

The Steelers played the Chicago Bears in a 1997 preseason game at Croke Park, which has a capacity of more than 82,000.

The Indianapolis Colts will be the home team for a game at Olympic Stadium in Berlin, and the Miami Dolphins will be the home team in Madrid.

The Dolphins are playing at Bernabéu, the home stadium of Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin congratulates Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) after a long catch against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Nov. 10, 2024. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

The Rams will be the home team when they play in Melbourne, Australia, in 2026. They will play at Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that holds about 100,000 spectators, as part of a multiyear deal to have games in Australia.

“This is a big statement,” O’Reilly said. “Probably a few years ago, you may not have thought this was a reality. I’d say the commissioner, the 32 owners, there’s a commitment to become a true global sport property. That means expanding our footprint. That means going to different parts of the world and exposing more fans around the world, in this case fans in Australia and Melbourne, to our great sport.”

O’Reilly also said the game in Melbourne will likely be played in Week 1 to give teams as much time as possible to acclimate to the difference in time zones.

The NFL could play up to eight games internationally in 2025. London is hosting three of them, with the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns each being the home team for a game at Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

The Jets are also going to be the home team for a game at Wembley Stadium.

As international consumer markets go, Ireland would be by far the smallest that the NFL has entered so far.

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

The NFL is also considering having a team play back-to-back weeks in different European cities as it continues to try and expand the game globally.

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

FOX’s Super Bowl coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. Coverage can be streamed live on Tubi for the first time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
Luka Doncic trade has NFL stars dumbfounded at Super Bowl LIX: ‘It’s like trading Lamar’

NEW ORLEANS – It’s Super Bowl LIX week down in New Orleans, and all eyes are focused on the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles rematch in the “Big Game.”

But not all the talk is about football in the Big Easy because of what just went down in the NBA: Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

A few NFL stars spoke to Fox News Digital about the trade, which left them flabbergasted as the Dallas Mavericks sent away their 25-year-old superstar guard.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is introduced at UCLA Health Training Center. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

“There’s no trade in history I feel like that really compares that type of trade,” Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs said. “A top three player in the NBA, 25 years old, is in the prime of his career – it’s literally that fan base’s face – to get traded for peanuts basically? I don’t think there’s nothing comparable to it.”

Jacobs mentioned Cleveland Browns star edge rusher Myles Garrett formally requesting a trade, and how it will be interesting to watch that play out. But it will only “ruffle some feathers” in Jacobs’ eyes.

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The Doncic trade did much more than that for the sports world, let alone the NBA.

Even some players who don’t watch basketball regularly couldn’t fathom the Mavericks moving on from the face of their franchise. Free agent receiver Braxton Berrios even thinks something must have gone down behind closed doors because of how buttoned up it was to the public.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic poses for photos with general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick at UCLA Health Training Center. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

“When that came up, my buddy had my phone and he goes, ‘You’ll never believe what just happened.’ I was like, ‘What?’ Luka had just gotten traded,” Berrios recalled. “I think it’s insane, there has to be a backstory there we’re not knowing, because you don’t trade the cornerstone of your franchise. Obviously, the fallout of the season tickets now, and they’re offering refunds and credits. That’s a bad deal.”

Is there even a comparison to the Doncic trade within the NFL? Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said something football fans wouldn’t fathom happening to prove his point about how “crazy” the trade was.

“That’s like trading Lamar [Jackson], that’s trading Pat [Mahomes]. It’s crazy,” Penix said, laughing.

Some thought the trade wasn’t even real when it went down, but it became official with Dallas getting All-Star center Anthony Davis, reserve guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick in return.

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

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The Mavericks believe that this move, despite how shocking it was, will help them now and into the future. Meanwhile, the Lakers have a new dynamic duo with LeBron James and Doncic, a pair no one thought would be sharing a court together other than in an All-Star Game.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
FOX Sports’ NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira weighs in on ref controversy ahead of Super Bowl LIX

The conspiracy about NFL referees helping the Kansas City Chiefs has been one of the main conversation topics leading up to Super Bowl LIX.

FOX Sports rules analyst and former vice president of officiating for the NFL, Mike Pereira, joined “Fox & Friends” on Friday to weigh in on the discussion.

“I mean I think I would say what [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell said, which I try not to use harsh words. I understand why they think that, because the numbers point that different and the iffy calls seem to have gone the Chiefs way, but to think that there is intent is really ridiculous and that’s the term that Roger used,” Pereira said.

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Fox Sports College and NFL rules expert Mike Pereira during a Fox Sports media party in advance of Super Bowl LIX. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)

“The officials are out just to manage the game, and they have to make decisions in one 26th of a second, and so they don’t have time to factor in who made the foul, what color the team is. And so really, I understand the concern but it really won’t affect the way they officiate this weekend.”

Pereira said the Chiefs were a great team and that they teach penalty prevention to their players. Their number of false starts is less, and penalties of that ilk the team works on eliminating.

Pereira talked about how NFL teams will prepare for crews, but it is a little bit different to prepare for the Super Bowl crew.

“You know this is different too, because teams do prepare for crews, but this is not a crew, this is an all-star crew. So they’ve come from seven different crews, so it’s kind of impossible to judge where they might lean,” Pereira said.

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NFL referee Ron Torbert during the Cincinnati Bengals game against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Ron Torbert will be the head referee for Super Bowl LIX. He also was the lead referee for Super LVI, when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals.

The umpire is Mike Morton, Max Causey is the down judge, Mark Stewart is the line judge, Mearl Robison is the field judge, Boris Cheek the side judge, Jonah Monroe the back judge and Kevin Brown is the replay official.

Cheek is the only other official with Super Bowl experience other than Torbert, as he has officiated in three other Super Bowls.

With so many referees in the NFL, Pereira said it was hard to expect exact consistency across all calls.

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Referee Carl Cheffers puts his hand on the back of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, in the first quarter of the AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 26, 2025 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)

“Look, the parity in terms of number of fouls called this year is closer than I think I’ve ever seen it before. But you have different, you have 128 people, they don’t have the same judgment. So it’s hard to teach consistency or to expect consistency all the way through.”

There is one thing Pereira wants to see from the officials in the big game.

“All I care is, you know what, is that they call in the fourth quarter the same way they call the way in the first quarter.”

With that being said, Pereira said he does not want to talk during the broadcast at all.

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

“I hope you don’t hear me, I hope you don’t see me! If I don’t mumble a word then that mean’s there is not a controversy,” Pereira said.

The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX, where the officiating will be closely monitored.

FOX’s Super Bowl coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. Coverage can be streamed live on Tubi for the first time.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
NFL great Brett Favre praises Trump for taking action to protect women’s sports

Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre praised President Donald Trump on Thursday after he signed an executive order this week effectively banning transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order on Wednesday, which will require entities that receive federal funding to align with Title IX, which the Trump administration changed last week to recognize protections on the basis of biological sex – undoing former President Joe Biden’s 2024 rewrite.

President Donald Trump speaks as he signs documents in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo)

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“I appreciate President @realDonaldTrump signing an initiative to keep biological boys from competing against females,” Favre said in a post on X of the executive order. “It’s sad that this had to happen in this day and age, but glad it was done.”

Favre also thanked Gaines, who hosts OutKick’s “Gaines for Girls” podcast, for “being part of this initiative to help push this forward.”

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre takes the stage during a campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin. (Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

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Surrounded by female athletes, Trump declared at the signing ceremony that “the war on women’s sports is over.”

In response to the executive order, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the Board of Governors would review it and take steps to align the organization’s policy in the coming days.

“The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes,” the statement read.

BRETT FAVRE SPEAKS OUT ON BILL TO KEEP TRANS ATHLETES OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS: ‘CLEAR BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE’

“We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”

NCAA President Charlie Baker gives a television interview during the game between the UCLA Bruins and the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 25, 2023 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Trump has also turned his attention to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

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The pressure comes amid an impending leadership change at the IOC. Current President Thomas Bach is due to retire and the top candidate to replace him, Sebastian Coe, has spoken publicly about his position to protect women’s sports.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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February 7, 2025
Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis crowns ‘prototype’ Saquon Barkley as the ‘best running back’ in NFL

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NEW ORLEANS – Jerome Bettis might know a thing or two about success in the backfield.

A two-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl running back, and Super Bowl champion, Bettis was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Saquon Barkley is now well on his way to a gold jacket himself after becoming the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, and because of that historic performance, Bettis said no one is ahead of Barkley at the moment.

“I think Saquon Barkley is the best running back in the NFL right now. He’s special,” Bettis said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “He can do everything that you want a running back to do – catch it in the backfield, catch it deep, catch it in the flat, run for a first down, run for power, he can break it anywhere on the field. This guy is the ultimate running back.

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs with the ball for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the first half in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

“He’s the prototype – if you draw up what a running back should be, it’s Saquon Barkley.”

Barkley, of course, was drafted second overall by the New York Giants in 2018. After spending six seasons there, the new regime opted to let him go, and it’s been a nightmare for Big Blue ever since.

To rub salt in the wound, Barkley will now suit up for the Birds in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

The big game was once “bittersweet” for “The Bus” Shortly after winning his title, he lost his father at the age of 61 to a heart attack. Perhaps maybe the best moment of his life was almost immediately followed by the worst, but Bettis is now able to fully “understand the importance of this game” and take it all in.

So, Bettis, like Barkley, is in New Orleans this year to spread awareness about heart health, teaming up with the CDC Foundation’s “Live to the Beat” campaign in efforts to keep people from a life cut short like his dad.

Running back Jerome Bettis #36 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the football against the Denver Broncos during the 1997 season AFC Championship game at Three Rivers Stadium on January 11, 1998 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 24-21. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

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“The whole idea is to get people to understand and see that heart health is important, and they can do small things to change what that heart health will be in the future,” he said. “The quality of life, everything that goes with it. Small changes to your diet, taking a little bit of sugar out of that diet, working out, going for a walk on a daily basis, just small things that can really encourage heart health.

“Looking at my mortality, I‘m 52, so I’m saying to myself I’ve got to make sure I’m doing some of those things that helps me so that I’m not a victim of a heart attack or high blood pressure, a stroke, those type of issues that come with poor heart health. I’m making sure people hear my story, and maybe they’re inspired to make a change.”

NFL players don’t go into the Hall of Fame representing a team like baseball players do, but if that were the case, it would be hard to argue that Barkley wouldn’t have an Eagles helmet if they win this title, Bettis said.

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

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“He’s done something no Eagle has ever done, run for 2,000 yards, and has a chance to give them another championship. He would be cemented in the legacy of the Philadelphia Eagles,” he said. “If you talk about the history of the Eagles, you cannot not mention Saquon Barkley.”

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February 7, 2025
NFL legend Tom Brady fires back at ref-favoritism theory: ‘It’s all BS’

Tom Brady pushed back strongly on the notion of NFL officials’ favoritism toward the Kansas City Chiefs or any other team in the league on Friday, two days before Super Bowl LIX.

FOX’s NFL lead analyst appeared on “Fox & Friends” and was asked about the theory on social media about officials giving favorable calls to the Chiefs.

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Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady makes an appearance on the field before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Jan 5, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)

“I think it’s just all BS. It’s just a bunch of noise,” he said. “These refs have very challenging jobs to do. I’m very happy Twitter didn’t exist during the Tuck Rule Game in 2001, let me say that. I would’ve been on the wrong end on a lot of those. But these refs are out there trying to do their very best.

“They got to make decisions in a split second and they’re gonna call what they see and these guys are some of the most professional people on the field. They just want to do a good job like everyone else. And look, sometimes the calls go your way, sometimes they don’t. In the end, over the course of a 140-play game on both sides of the ball, the players have plenty of opportunities to go out there and make an impact in the game, winning or losing and that’s what I’m excited to see on Sunday night.”

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, slides against Houston Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, #39, during the fourth quarter of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Jan. 18, 2025. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

The officiating topic has been talked about throughout the week as questionable calls seemingly took over two of the Chiefs’ playoff wins – against the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell slammed the idea during his pre-Super Bowl LIX press conference earlier in the week.

“This sort of reminds me a little bit of ‘the script,’ right? That I write a script and I have a script for the entire seasons,” he said. “I think a lot of those theories are things that happen in social media, and they get a new life. … Nobody wants it to be their theory.

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

“I understand it. I think it reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. I think it’s also a reminder for us on how important officiating is. I think the men and women officiating the NFL are outstanding. They have the highest possible standards. That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously, but at the end of the day, it’s something we always have to continue to work on, how we make our officiating better at all times.”

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
NFL referees union blasts theories claiming existence of Chiefs bias: ‘It is insulting and preposterous’

While the Kansas City Chiefs continue preparations for Sunday’s Super Bowl matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, the back-to-back champions cannot seem to escape the chatter about NFL referees.

The debate on whether the Chiefs have benefited from favoritism from game officials has seemingly raged on for months. Earlier this week in New Orleans, the Super Bowl LIX host city, league Commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed claims that officiating crews are biased in favor of the Chiefs. Goodell described the allegations as “ridiculous.”

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, talks with a referee before an NFL wild card playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“That’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously,” Goodell said Monday. “It reflects a lot of the fans’ passion, and I think it also is a reminder for us how important officiating is. And I think the men and women that officiate in the NFL are outstanding.”

The union representing NFL officials later released a statement thanking Goodell and called allegations that officiating crews are biased in favor of the Chiefs or any other team “insulting and preposterous.”

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“Commissioner Goodell’s comments that it is ‘ridiculous’ to presume that NFL officials are not doing everything possible to make the right call on every play is spot on,” Green said. “Officiating crews do not work the same team more than twice each regular season. It is insulting and preposterous to hear conspiracy theories that somehow 17 officiating crews consisting of 138 officials are colluding to assist one team.”

Referee Scott Green waits for play to resume during the 2014 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on Jan. 26, 2014 in Honolulu. (Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also shrugged off the idea that the franchise has gotten preferential treatment from referees, saying you “almost have to laugh at” the idea.

Coming back late and pulling off close wins seemed to have been a hallmark of the Chiefs’ season. In the AFC championship game victory over the Buffalo Bills, controversy erupted shortly after referees ruled quarterback Josh Allen inches short of a crucial first down in the fourth quarter.

However, a deeper look at all the penalties involving Kansas City shows no signs of systematic bias. The Chiefs have been penalized for 120 more yards than their opponents in the regular season and playoffs since the start of the 2022 playoffs.

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

Green attempted to ease fans’ concerns by saying referees are committed to “doing everything humanly possible” to get calls right.

“There are many things that fans can worry about over a 17-game season, such as coaching decisions, player injuries, the weather and, yes, even close calls on incredible plays made by incredible athletes,” Green said. “But you can rest assured that on every single down, NFL officials, both on the field and in the replay booth, are doing everything humanly possible to officiate every play correctly.”

The Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles meet in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

FOX’s Super Bowl coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET. Coverage can also be streamed live on Tubi for the first time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
Bills’ Josh Allen wins 1st career NFL MVP

Josh Allen finally has some hardware.

The Buffalo Bills quarterback was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the first time on Thursday.

Fans wondered what Allen would do after the Bills traded Stefon Diggs in the offseason. Well, he clearly was just fine.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leaves the field after a game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium. (Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Allen threw 28 touchdowns against a career-low six interceptions while also scoring a dozen touchdowns with his legs. Allen’s 77.4 QBR was the NFL’s best, which is more impressive considering he didn’t exactly have household names to throw to – Khalil Shakir led the team in targets (100), receptions (76), and yards (821).

Allen got the benefit of a rather subpar division, clinching the AFC East on Dec. 1. But, it became very clear that as long as Allen is in the fold, the Bills will have a chance to compete.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) passes 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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He beat out Lamar Jackson narrowly – perhaps the AFC divisional round was foreshadowing of the MVP vote, as Allen’s Bills pulled out a narrow 27-25 win over Baltimore two and a half weeks ago.

Allen is yet to get over the Kansas City Chiefs hump, losing to them for a fourth time in the playoffs in the AFC title game. However, a long-coveted MVP is finally on Allen’s resume.

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Allen also beat out Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, and Jared Goff.

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February 7, 2025