'NFL Is Rigged' Narrative Could Actually Cost The Chiefs The Super Bowl
More so than even the Chiefs' quest to complete the first-ever three-peat in the Super Bowl era, the narrative of the refs favoring the dynastic squad has thus far headlined Super Bowl week.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the notion during his state of the league address on Monday. "That's a ridiculous theory [that the refs favor the Chiefs]," Goodell told reporters. "But at the end of the day, it's something we always have to continue to work on: How do we make our officiating better?"
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was also asked about the perception that the games are rigged to benefit Kansas City. "You almost have to laugh at it," Hunt said. "There’s definitely no conspiracy, right? It’s the nature of the game. And when you start having a lot of success, people like to start making excuses for why you’re having the success."
Still, the words of Goodell and Hunt won't ease any skepticism. The idea of partiality toward the Kansas City Chiefs is a cultural phenomenon.
WWE jokingly referenced the accusations on Saturday during the Royal Rumble. "The tag team championship match must be rigged," shouted Pat McAfee from the broadcast desk.
"I've not seen officiating this bad since the last Kansas City Chiefs game," his broadcast partner Wade Barrett responded. "I love the greatness of the Chiefs, but even some of those calls, I go 'What's going on?,'" McAfee added.
Pretty clever.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes. (Getty Images)
For the record, the NFL is not rigged. The refs are not competent enough to rig a game in favor of any team. Per the numbers, the Chiefs benefit from flags no more than the league average.
However, because the Chiefs are on national television nearly every week, have made seven straight AFC Championship Games, and appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls – fans and reporters immediately glorify any questionable call that goes in their favor. (Blame the Patriots for grooming fans to attribute success to cheating.)
So, fans should expect complete impartiality from the officials on Super Bowl Sunday. Actually, no.
At this point, one must seriously wonder if the backlash against NFL officiating will prompt the referees to overcorrect on Sunday—to the point of benefiting the Eagles.
Like rigging the game for Philadelphia?
No, not quite.
The issue with NFL officiating is not favoritism, but the inherent human element of the job. There is a reason home teams tend to benefit from 50–50 calls: the refs don't want 50,000 angry fans to boo them and chant, "Refs, you suck."
The Super Bowl officiating crew knows that any questionable call that benefits the Chiefs will be cited as further proof of a grand conspiracy. Surely, the refs will want to prove on the biggest stage in sports – with likely 120+ million viewers – that they do not favor the Chiefs.
Could such pressure subconsciously lead to hesitation before throwing a flag in Kansas City's favor? Or cause the officials to be trigger-happy when the Chiefs two-hand touch Jalen Hurts after a throw?
There's no doubt.
And given that nearly every Chiefs' game comes down to the literal last play, any judgmental call from the refs could be the deciding factor in who is victorious.
Put simply, expect the "the NFL is rigged for the Chiefs" narrative to be on the mind of the back judge when he has just milliseconds to decide whether to call defensive pass interference on 4th down or to let them play.
Take the Eagles +1.5.