You’ve almost certainly heard the conversation by now. The notion that NFL referees unfairly officiate with bias toward Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs has persisted in recent seasons, and many Philadelphia Eagles fans have brought it up leading into Super Bowl LIX.
Commissioner Roger Goodell and executive director of the NFL Referees Association Scott Green have even publicly pushed back against the perception.
Eagles coaches and players haven’t publicly indicated any level of concentration on the supposed bias, but their fans should follow that lead. Criticism of referees predates the forward pass. What has it ever accomplished?
“All the complaining you do, I haven’t had a ref change a call in my favor in my entire life.” -Torrey Smith on 97.5 The Fanatic
Star Quarterback Privilege
Torrey Smith spoke admirably during his interview on The Mike Missanelli Show with sportsmanship that many fans seem to have forgotten after leaving the peewees.
The former wide receiver reached the pinnacle of the sport with his measured attitude, earning two Super Bowl rings in eight NFL seasons. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t notice the tendencies of NFL referees throwing yellow flags a little more frequently for star quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes
Superstars benefit from preferential treatment. It happened after the 2022 season when the Chiefs kicked a game-winning field goal in the AFC Championship Game 15 yards closer to the uprights because of a questionable personal foul call.
It happened against the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round when a few weak flags went in Kansas City’s favor.
Simple perception also affects these calls. Smith’s teammates knew that hitting Tom Brady was always more likely to draw a flag than hitting Cam Newton.
When a built, powerful quarterback like Newton took a big hit, it looked like he could withstand it. If a thinner quarterback took the same hit, the reaction was different.
“It’s one of those things where you just have to roll with the punches. I think it plays with their eyes at times. I don’t think it’s necessarily intentional by them (the referees).” -Torrey Smith
Jalen Hurts spends time powerlifting to build the legs that fuel the infamous tush push. When a 300-pound defender throws a hit on Hurts, his body can withstand it a little better than most other NFL quarterbacks.
“There’s some other quarterbacks (besides Hurts) where they get hit the same way. It looks like somebody threw a bomb on the field… Patrick Mahomes is not a small person, right? He’s not as stout as Jalen is, but sometimes when that player gets tossed, it looks a little different. That just plays those mind tricks with the refs sometimes.” -Torrey Smith
Blaming The Referees: A Losing Mentality
What does it all mean? Isn’t veteran quarterback privilege an unfair advantage that the referees will give Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX?
Probably, but harping on it builds a complainer’s mentality.
Nick Sirianni emphasizes controlling the controllable. He’s looked to build the foundation of a smart team that masters situational football and creates advantages for themselves in areas of the game that require no talent.
Aren’t Eagles defenders also aware of veteran quarterback privilege?
“If I was a defensive lineman playing for the Eagles this week, I’d make sure I watch my landing on the quarterback… You have to make sure that you’re conscious of certain things, but you don’t necessarily change the way you play. But that little bit of ‘extraness’ that guys like to add at the end of plays, you kind of try to stay away from it.” -Torrey Smith
Jalen Carter has developed into a dominant defensive lineman that’s helped the NFL’s best defense advance to Super Bowl LIX. However, he’s had lapses this season that have hurt his team with the “extraness” that Smith mentioned.
He and all his teammates must play with the discipline that slipped away during their only loss since September in Week 16 against the Washington Commanders.
Avoiding 15-yard personal personal fouls is an area of the game that requires no talent. If Mahomes tries to pull a fast one like he did against Houston three weeks ago, the Eagles can’t take the bait.
Philadelphia fans can also take a page from the same book. The same fan base that criticized the San Francisco 4(whine)rs for trying to cheapen the NFC Championship Game two years ago shouldn’t fixate on factors outside a team’s control.
James Bradberry took a questionable flag with pride and sportsmanship two years ago in a moment of raw emotion. He admirably avoided acting like one yellow flag determined Super Bowl LVII when the Philadelphia defense couldn’t shut down Mahomes.
The fan base should do the same.