Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce made it clear Monday on Super Bowl Opening Night that he is aware of the existing narrative regarding the Chiefs receiving favorable treatment from referees.
When a child reporter asked Kelce what he would ask the media if he could ask one question, Kelce replied: "Why are you guys leaning into this whole ref thing? You know what I mean? Like, why are you guys leaning into it."
Kelce and the Chiefs are seeking to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls, but their Super Bowl run has not come without controversy, as they were the beneficiaries of some close calls in both the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Texans and AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills.
Two questionable roughing the passer calls were made against the Texans in their 27-19 loss to the Chiefs, including one in which quarterback Patrick Mahomes went to the ground late and essentially baited a Texans player into diving on top of him.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported after the fact that the NFL is expected to expand its replay assist for the 2025 season, and it could include quarterback slides since it is often difficult to officials to decipher on the fly whether a sliding quarterback was truly roughed or not.
In the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs were trailing by one point in the fourth quarter and the Bills were driving to extend their lead.
On a fourth-and-1 play at the Kansas City 41-yard line, Bills quarterback Josh Allen attempted to sneak for a first down, but he was called short, and the Chiefs took possession.
The official on the far end of the field initially seemed to indicate that it was a first down, but the nearside official disagreed, and the crew went with the short spot instead.
While difficult to tell definitively, several replays and still shots after the fact did appear to show Allen barely making the line to gain.
The Chiefs took the lead with a touchdown on the ensuing drive and went on to win the game 32-29 to reach a third straight Super Bowl.
Given the enormity of the fourth-down call and the impact it had on the game, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reported this week that the NFL is considering implementing an electronic system starting next season, which would help spot the ball more accurately.
Regardless of any controversial calls along the way, the Chiefs now have a chance to make history with the first-ever three-peat in the Super Bowl era.
In Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, the Chiefs will face a Philadelphia Eagles team that beat in the Super Bowl two years ago.
If the Chiefs repeat that feat and take down the Eagles again, they will have a strong case to be considered the greatest dynasty in NFL history.