Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce appeared to benefit from favorable officiating during Sunday night’s AFC Championship victory over the Buffalo Bills, as officials seemed to overlook what looked like a clear taunting penalty on Kelce. In the late second quarter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket and rushed toward the end zone, scoring a touchdown with his legs. As Mahomes crossed the goal line, Bills safety Damar Hamlin delivered a hit, sending Mahomes to the ground, prompting a reaction from Kelce.
Bills called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kelce was talking in Hamlin’s face. Phillips came over and hit Kelce in the helmet and got flagged pic.twitter.com/DjjlFZ94V0
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 27, 2025
As soon as Mahomes hit the ground, Kelce approached Hamlin, got in his face, and communicated something to the Bills defender. While the exact words Kelce used remain unclear, this incident should have warranted an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty according to the NFL’s rulebook, which prohibits “abusive, threatening, or insulting language or gestures to opponents” and “baiting or taunting acts or words that may engender ill will between teams.” Kelce’s behavior after a legal hit and a Chiefs touchdown was clearly taunting and deserving of a penalty.
However, the referees opted not to throw a flag, seemingly giving Kelce preferential treatment. As one fan commented on X, “Travis Kelce has a special ability in the NFL where he is the only person who is allowed to taunt their opponent and not get a flag called!” Others echoed similar sentiments, stating that Kelce could “probably hit another player’s leg with a crowbar and not get penalized,” and that “the league wants Taylor Shift since she brings in fans and money that usually don’t watch. It’s all about the money and extra ratings.” Another pointed out, “It’s because he’s on the Chiefs. If it was any other team, it would have been a flag.”
While Kelce faced no consequences for his actions, Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips was flagged for stepping in and head-butting Kelce to break up the altercation with Hamlin. In the end, the Chiefs triumphed over the Bills, securing their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.
