Justin Simmons Accuses Chiefs of Getting Help From Referees

Simmons, who spent nearly a decade with Denver, made the accusation on his podcast, The Last Line. He said the Chiefs had been “cheating” since Mahomes entered the NFL and claimed officials had favored the team. He offered no specific examples beyond the recent game in his remarks described here.

The Chiefs’ loss came after a false-start penalty against lineman Jaylon Moore erased a late touchdown pass to Rashee Rice. The 28-24 defeat was Kansas City’s second in a row, leaving the team 5-2 and behind Denver in the AFC West.

Brittany Mahomes criticized the call on social media, calling it the weakest she had seen. Simmons rejected the view that it was an unfair penalty, saying Moore had committed a false start and Kansas City had lost near the goal line. He also argued that television coverage of Mahomes could influence officiating, without explaining how.

Simmons said he had little sympathy for Chiefs fans who objected to the call. His co-host and former teammate, Kareem Jackson, likened the fans’ reaction to a child taking a ball home after losing.

Kansas City is scheduled to face the New York Jets on Sunday as it tries to end its two-game losing streak.