The Kansas City Chiefs marched to a dominant 28-7 victory on Monday night over the Washington Commanders after entering halftime tied at 7-7.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the charge, completing 25 of 34 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing four times for 30 yards. He threw two interceptions, but one bounced directly off Travis Kelce's hands and into the defender's, and both came in the first half.
Late in the game, with Kansas City holding a 28-7 lead, Mahomes was sacked and then thrown down moments after the whistle, resulting in a call for unnecessary roughness on the defense. The penalty gave the Chiefs a first down on what would have been a significant loss of yardage.
NFL legend and ESPN commentator Troy Aikman spoke about the play, noting the favoritism that Mahomes has received from the league due to his accomplishments.
"Yeah, it wasn't a lot, but with that said, when it comes to quarterbacks, especially this one, they're gonna protect them… just a lot of frustration coming out on his part," Aikman said.
NFL fans reacted to Aikman’s brazen call out of the NFL.
“Isn’t that the truth!” one fan said.
Someone else added: “Even commentators are pointing out the obvious.”
Another person wrote: “NFL has to protect the Kansas City Swifties. It’s all about tv ratings.”
“The QB should be protected but my god this is getting out of hand,” another fan posted.
Remarked another user: “At least Aikman was honest.”
This isn't the first time someone has raised concerns about the controversial preferred treatment Mahomes has received in certain situations.
At the same time, the Chiefs are featured on national television frequently, which means these moments are seen by a wider audience each week. That visibility can make it seem more pronounced, even though similar treatment likely occurs with other well-known quarterbacks across the league.
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