Patrick Mahomes has received a significant amount of criticism following the Chiefs Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans for seemingly overly selling a number of hits for calls from the officials. But soon, Mahomes and other quarterbacks may no longer be benefitting from these calls.
Officials are put into a tough spot when quarterbacks attempt to scramble and end up sliding right into contact. Most of the time, officials have tended to give quarterbacks the benefit of the doubt and flagged defensive players for unnecessary roughness calls even when it isn’t warranted.
This is how Mahomes got one of his calls, which directly led to a score later in the drive, against the Texans. But moving forward, Mahomes won’t have the officials’ initial calls on the field to fall back on.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL is expected to include it’s replay assist system to allow quarterback slide plays for next season. This would make it so plays involving quarterback slides could be reversed upon further review if it is determined that the quarterback didn’t take any significant contact.
The rule still has to pass when it comes up to be voted on at the league’s annual meeting this coming March. But Schefter did add that most around the NFL view this potential rule as something that is needed.
“The belief around the league is that there’s no reason not to bring further objectivity and clarity to a play that fans in the stadium or at home can see,” wrote Schefter.
Obviously, this rule will impact all quarterbacks and not just Patrick Mahomes. But given Mahomes’ recent track record of flopping, it does seem like this announcement at least sends a message to him that he may not get such generous calls moving forward.
Mahomes is well aware of the perception that he receives more favorable treatment from officials than other quarterbacks. And as you may expect, he doesn’t agree that this is the case.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can.”
Still, NFL fans have made it quite clear that they do not agree. And while this new rule won’t be in place for the AFC Championship Game or a potential Super Bowl should the Chiefs get past the Bills, fans are surely quite happy that it will be in place next season.
