The Jacksonville Jaguars took on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5, but the Chiefs weren't their only opponents; the Jaguars would also have to defeat the referees. As any football fan knows, that would be a tall task.
Despite the close game, the Jaguars had some incredible plays. Travis Hunter had a standout game, with one especially jaw-dropping catch, while Parker Washington reassured fans that he can be a major playmaker. Then there was Devin Lloyd, who set all kinds of records with an absolutely insane pick-six that stunned the league.
But none of it mattered, because when it came down to it, the Jaguars weren't really playing the Chiefs; they were playing the referees, and there were at least two touchdowns they chose to gift to Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes.
Jacksonville Jaguars fans are fed up with the referee favoritism
The Chiefs had their first score of the game with a short pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce, and initially, there were concerns about offensive pass interference. Of course, once Mahomes protested, the referees obligingly erased the penalty and handed over the touchdown.
Refs: That’s pass interference
Chiefs: It’s not pass interference
Refs: It’s not pass interferencepic.twitter.com/7tmHbCvQR7
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 7, 2025
Then there was a second, more egregious example, in which Trevor Lawrence threw an interception, which led to another touchdown for the Chiefs. Analysts and fans alike were shocked, because there was massive pass interference ignored by the referees, yet again.
ESPN rules analyst Russell Yurk: "That's a big miss. That should've been pass interference."
Joe Buck: "I mean, a huge, huge miss." 🏈🎙️🦓 #NFL #MNF pic.twitter.com/nm0fYGAnrl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 7, 2025
To be clear, this is an ongoing issue with the Chiefs, and it's not just rumors and conspiracy; three referees were fired because of it. And all three of the referees officiated games where the Chiefs won. As one anonymous official said, "It’s changing into a competitive environment where everybody’s equal. There are no favorites. There’s no favoritism. There’s none of that; it’s all about performance."
That's certainly the way it should be, but when it comes to the Chiefs, that's just not the way it is. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is an incredible quarterback and Andy Reid is an all-time-great when it comes to coaching. The Chiefs would likely still be successful even without all of the referee interference, and yet, it still happens, time and time again.
There's no denying that the Jaguars were the underdogs going into this game, not least of which because they had to not only defeat Mahomes & Co., but the referees, too. And the referees did everything they could to hand the game over to Kansas City, but the scrappy team that wins due to their tenacity and grit managed to overcome the odds once again.