Patrick Mahomes decides if he’ll play against the Texans, the Chiefs get some very bad news with NFL decision ” The call drew sharp criticism from analysts, fans and players, as many believed Kelce and Jones had…

Kansas City Chiefs fans may feel a sense of deja vu as referee Carl Cheffers returns to Arrowhead Stadium this Saturday for the first time this season.

The matchup between the Chiefs and the Houston Texans will be overseen by Cheffers, a referee known for several high-profile, and often contentious, calls that have drawn unease from Chiefs Kingdom.

Cheffers, who is now in his 17th season as an NFL referee and 25th year as an NFL official, has become a polarizing figure among Chiefs fans. His officiating history with Kansas City includes some unforgettable moments.

Calls that left Chiefs fans fuming
One of Cheffers’ most infamous moments occurred during the 2022 Monday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders. In that game, he called a controversial roughing the passer penalty on Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who had cleanly sacked Raiders quarterback Derek Carr while also recovering a fumble.

The call drew sharp criticism from analysts, fans and players, as many believed Jones had done nothing wrong. The moment ignited a broader debate across the league regarding how officials interpret roughing the passer penalties.
Another unforgettable call came in December 2023 during the Chiefs’ 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Late in the game, Cheffers’ crew flagged former Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney for lining up offsides, negating what would have been a pivotal 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The penalty erased the score, and Kansas City ultimately fell to the Bills. The controversial nature of the call only added to Cheffers’ rocky relationship with the Chiefs fanbase.

Interestingly, Cheffers has also been at the center of the action in two of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl appearances. He officiated the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which Kansas City was flagged for 11 penalties totaling 120 yards.

Many Chiefs fans felt that the officiating heavily favored Tampa Bay, as numerous pass interference and holding calls went against Kansas City in critical moments.

On the flip side, Cheffers also officiated the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII win against the Philadelphia Eagles. This time, it was the Eagles fans who cried foul, as the game featured a decisive defensive holding call late in the fourth quarter against Eagles cornerback James Bradberry.

The penalty gave Kansas City a first down, allowing them to run down the clock and set up the game-winning field goal. While Chiefs fans celebrated, many Eagles supporters believed the call was unnecessary and too “soft” for a game of that magnitude. Cheffers once again found himself at the center of controversy.