Clay Martin making a call (left). Patrick Mahomes preparing a pass (right). Fans think the NFL refs are rigging the game.Clay Martin and Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans (Photos via ESPN)
Football fans are enraged and calling the Kansas City Chiefs-Houston Texans game “rigged” following two questionable calls by the NFL refs in the first quarter.

The NFL refs have faced accusations of favoring Patrick Mahomes and the defending champions throughout the 2024 season. Well, Clay Martin and his crew did themselves no favors of shrugging off that notion during today’s game.

For starters, it looked like Chiefs defensive back Bryan Cook got away with an obvious “hip-drop” tackle on Texans tight end Dalton Schultz:

Later on in the quarter, Texans star edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was penalized for “Roughing the Passer” on Mahomes in the first quarter. ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk strongly with the call:

Sure enough, fans accused the NFL refs of rigging this game for Kansas City.

“Apparently if you sneeze on Mahomes you get a penalty. Unreal,” one fan said.

“How many absurd calls will kc get this game? Over under 3?,” asked another.

“Texans player gets penalized for throwing his helmet to the ground… Chiefs players get away with hip drop tackles. @NFL atleast make it less obvious that you’re rigging games for the chiefs,” said a fan.

“Typical NFL rigged bs. Then the no call hip drop tackle and 74 lines up illegally on every passing down,” another added.

“-3 points for HOU on this missed call, and +3 for KC on the bogus roughing the passer call. Refs putting in work to fix this one,” a disgruntled fan said about the NFL refs.

“The Fix is in NFL fans.. as bogus roughing the passer on Mahomes and the just a minute ago a no call on an offsides by the chiefs on a FG try by the Texans. It’s so sad when sports is fixed.. I bet the refs get paid well for fixing games,” quipped another.

NFL Refs Should Have To Answer For These Calls

With all due respect to the officials, it’s awfully hard to comprehend how they flagged Anderson Jr. for that hit on Mahomes. And missing a clear-as-day hip-drop tackle that the league is supposed to crack down on? Also inexcusable.

It’d be nice for everyone if Martin and his crew shared their rationale behind these mind-boggling calls.