Andy Reid Calls Late Penalty In Chiefs’ Loss ‘Embarrassing’ For NFL

The Kansas City Chiefs took the lead with a spectacular go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes was well, Patrick Mahomes. The two-time Super Bowl champion hit a wide-open Travis Kelce over the middle of the field who ran toward the endzone. Kelce saw Kadarius Toney unopposed on the sideline and threw a lateral to the wide receiver, who ran untouched into the endzone for the Chiefs lead.

The Chiefs thought they had won the game. Until they didn’t.

A critical offensive penalty negated the touchdown when a flag was thrown at the line of scrimmage just after the snap for Toney lining up in the neutral zone.

The Bills’ defense held the Chiefs and walked away with the 20-17 Week 14 victory, keeping their playoff hopes alive another week.

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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid wasn’t happy about the call and how it affected the outcome of the game.

“It was a heck of a football game down to the end,” Reid said, per the team. “Very disappointed that it ended the way that it did. Normally, I’ll get … and I never use any of this as excuses … but normally I get a warning before something like that happens in a big game. A bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place.”

Reid added: “Normally if it’s even close, you get a warning. The head coach gets a warning. I didn’t have a protractor out there but it’s a bit embarrassing. And I’ve been in the league a long time and I haven’t had one like there.”

CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore provided a further breakdown of the flag on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“When officiating the line of scrimmage, general philosophy is not to be overly technical and split hairs over very minor infractions (such as a receiver’s hand slightly breaking the LOS). However, when an infraction is so egregious and obvious, a flag has to be thrown,” Steratore wrote. “Kadarius Toney is blatantly lined up offside and in the neutral zone. You rarely see an offsides penalty on the offense, but that is not because this play in #BUFvsKC isn’t a foul. It is because a receiver rarely lines up offsides.”

Reid said he didn’t get an explanation from the referees during or after the game.

“Somebody’s gonna sleep good at night and a lot of guys aren’t,” he said.

The Chiefs head to Gillette Stadium to face the 3-10 Patriots in a Week 15 matchup that could have a direct effect on New England’s draft pick placement.