During last week’s division round showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes drew two controversial penalty flags at crucial moments in the game. However, the NFL has since determined that these flags were unwarranted. Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. was penalized for roughing the passer in the first quarter, while defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o received flags for hitting Mahomes as he slid late in the game. Typically, players who incur such penalties face fines if the NFL confirms the infractions via post-game film review.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes, the league opted not to fine any Texans defenders for these incidents. “The NFL did not fine Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. for a first-quarter roughing the passer foul. The league also did not fine defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi or linebacker Henry To’oTo’o for their Malachi crunch after Mahomes slid in the second half,” Florio wrote for Pro Football Talk. The absence of fines implies that the NFL recognizes these penalties as errors and acknowledges that the flags should not have been thrown.
Moreover, both fouls sparked criticism regarding potential bias against the Chiefs by officials. The decision not to impose fines suggests that, after reviewing the footage more carefully, the NFL concluded that the hits were not deserving of punishment—indicating that the penalties should have been rescinded. While the league cannot retroactively amend these calls, it is evident that the officials made mistakes.
