Dave Portnoy accuses NFL referees of ‘cheating’ as Chiefs benefit from controversial call in Texans playoff game

Dave Portnoy has led the criticism online after a controversial refereeing call went in the Kansas City Chiefs’ favor during their playoff clash with the Houston Texans.

Midway through the first quarter of Saturday’s Divisional playoff, the Texans received a roughing-the-passer penalty after a tackle on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Portnoy was one of many left furious over the decision, taking to X to conclude: ‘The good news is the Texans are dominating and their defense is flying around.

The bad news is the refs are cheating and they are losing.’

A number of users agreed with Portnoy, including one who posted a clip of Anderson’s tackle on Mahomes and said: ‘THE #NFL IS SO RIGGED FOR THE #CHIEFS! A bulls*** roughing the passer penalty against the #Texans for a PICTURE PERFECT TACKLE against Precious Patrick #Mahomes.

Will Anderson was called for roughing the passer on Patrick Mahomes on this play.#HOUvsKC | ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/bTn7Z5XoLZ

— ESPN (@espn) January 18, 2025

‘Ridiculous! The NFL is scripted and UNWATCHABLE!’

Another argued: ‘When will the NFL learn that what they are doing for the Mahomes/Chiefs and what they did for [Tom] Brady/Patriots only infuriates football fans. No one wants to watch refs giving every call to a player or team. That’s not football!’

‘Apparently if you sneeze on Mahomes you get a penalty. Unreal,’ a third commented sarcastically.

‘You can find this 1,000 times with other quarterbacks this year wear it was not called. Only mahomes,’ said another.

While one simply put: ‘That’s ridiculous.’

ESPN analyst Jason Kelce, whose brother Travis is playing for the Chiefs on Saturday night, also described the roughing-the-passer call as ‘questionable’.

Portnoy was also left seething with another controversial decision in Mahomes’ favor later in the game, which saw the Texans penalized for unnecessary roughness on Kansas City’s star quarterback.

THIS LEAGUE IS DISGUSTING!!!! @nflcommish pic.twitter.com/1o7ILksUxe

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) January 18, 2025

He posted a clip of the tackle which led to the call and wrote: ‘THIS LEAGUE IS DISGUSTING!!!!’

Another user also highlighted a ‘hip drop tackle’ from Chiefs safety Bryan Cook that went unpunished during the first quarter of Saturday’s game while accusing referees of favoring the hosts.

‘You’re not gonna see a more clear “hip drop tackle” but of course no flag because it’s the Kansas City Chiefs,’ they wrote.

A second fan asked: ‘So this textbook hip drop tackle on the Texans first possession wasn’t called but Will Anderson gets called for roughing for breathing on Mahomes?? Make it make sense’.

A third then concluded: ‘The chiefs playoff favoritism is in full effect’.