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Getting AFC Championship Game’s Last Call Right Shouldn’t Let Dreadful NFL Officiating off the Hook

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NFL officiating, take a bow. You managed to get #NFLRigged trending on Twitter — and you only have yourselves to blame after a series of decisions that helped decide an AFC Championship Game for the ages.

NFL Officiating Mars Great AFC Championship Game

The greatest rivalry going in the NFL had just ended, and as Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce taunted the Cincinnati Bengals on national TV, Joseph Ossai sat on the bench and sobbed.

Ossai seemed to realize that his life had just forever changed. A decision that took a split-second to make will haunt him for decades to come.

Ossai’s late hit on a scrambling Patrick Mahomes on the game’s final offensive play almost certainly cost the Bengals their season. Kansas City needed the extra 15 yards to turn a near-impossible field goal attempt into a relatively routine kick for Harrison Butker.

Butker’s 45-yard attempt cut through the cold Missouri air and split the uprights, giving the Chiefs a 23-20 victory and a third trip to the Super Bowl in four years.

“Burrowhead my ass!” Kelce screamed into Tracy Wolfson’s microphone as she was trying to interview Mahomes. “It’s Mahomes’ house!”

MORE: Bengals vs. Chiefs Takeaways as KC Clinches Super Bowl Berth

What Kelce might have lacked in tact, he more than made up for in accuracy. Mahomes is still the NFL’s boss, and no three-game losing streak to Cincinnati can significantly change that.

But Mahomes, Kelce, and the rest of the Chiefs must know they probably wouldn’t be heading to the desert for the Andy Reid Bowl without a major assist from NFL officiating.

The calls Sunday were as one-sided as they were shaky.

And just because they got the last one right — Mahomes was clearly out of bounds when Ossai shoved him in the back — doesn’t mean they didn’t mangle about a half dozen others, including two in the game’s final minute.

The Chiefs’ final drive should have begun at their own 9 — which, considering they took possession with a half-minute left, would have almost certainly meant overtime.

Instead, they missed two pretty clear blocks in the back — including one by Joshua Williams — that helped spring Skyy Moore for a 29-yard return.

Instead of being backed up in their own end, the Chiefs started near midfield — but still needed help from the officials to win.

That’s because Mahomes’ gutsy run — and the boneheaded mistake by Ossai — should have never counted. Mahomes, on one good leg, was able to slip free of contain in no small part because tackle Orlando Brown held Trey Hendrickson — a rule violation the officials either didn’t see or didn’t care to enforce.

In a more equitable world, the Chiefs would have had to replay third-and-4 at the Bengals’ 47 with eight seconds left.

Instead, they were given the chance to win the game — a chance Butker seized with a clutch kick.

“You don’t make it about one play,” Zac Taylor told CBS after the game. “There were plenty of plays left on the field that could have put us in better position.”

That’s fair. The Bengals had the ball with the game tied late and couldn’t convert.

They could have certainly benefited from an extra down on that drive — like the one the officials bizarrely gave the Chiefs earlier in the second half. An apparent third-down stop never happened as an official blew a whistle no one heard.

The league is very, very fortunate that the NFL officiating decision didn’t decide the game. The Chiefs didn’t get points on that possession. But it absolutely was kerosene on the bonfire for those in Cincinnati who believed the fix was in.

Every big call seemed to go against the Bengals Sunday, including some ticky-tack flags thrown in the defensive backfield.

There was next to no trust in NFL officiating among fans and even many players entering Sunday’s game. And that credibility gap grew a bit more with how this one played out.

In closing, three things can simultaneously be true:

  1. The Chiefs were, on this day, the (slightly) better team.
  2. Ossai screwed up big-time and deserved to be flagged.
  3. The playing field was uneven because of the actions of the officials.



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Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said. 

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted. 

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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