A former senior vice president of officiating with the NFL says the two controversial personal foul penalties on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the divisional round Saturday were the correct calls.
Midway through the first quarter, Houston Texans pass-rusher Will Anderson was flagged for roughing the passer after he hit Mahomes on third down. The Chiefs later kicked a field goal on the drive to gain a 6-3 lead.
Refs throw a flag already for helmet to helmet to Mahomes. Roughing the passer for the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/7RYlHeYQh4
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 18, 2025
"When the defenders come in, and when they end up coming in face-to-face, if there's contact to the head of the quarterback, that's probably going to be called by the officials. And that's what you can see here," Walt Anderson, a former senior vice president of officiating with the league, said Sunday on NFL Network.
Anderson, now an NFL officiating rules analyst with the network, added: "When in doubt, officials are to call roughing the passer, and it's in the roughing the passer rule ... they're going to protect the quarterbacks."
With less than 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Houston linebacker Henry To'oTo'o was called for unnecessary roughness after attempting to hit a scrambling Mahomes when he slid down.
You can't make this up.... Mahomes draws another flag for this "late hit" pic.twitter.com/a5egiZytDe
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 18, 2025
"Officials have to call based on what they see," Anderson said. "When a player goes to the ground, he doesn't even have to be touched, he's down.
"Yes, the two players (Texans defenders) end up colliding ... but when No. 39 (To'oTo'o) comes in and his hairline of his helmet strikes the helmet of the runner who's already on the ground, that's a foul," Anderson added.
A few plays after that penalty, tight end Travis Kelce capped off the drive with a touchdown reception that extended Kansas City's lead to 20-12. The Chiefs ultimately won the contest 23-14.
A few Texans players questioned the officiating after the game.
"Everybody knows how it is playing up here," Houston running back Joe Mixon told reporters, according to Will Kunkel of Fox 26 Houston. "You can never leave it into the refs' hands. I mean, the whole world sees, man, what it is, bro."
The Chiefs will play host to the winner of Sunday's Ravens-Bills divisional round game Jan. 26.
