Travis Kelce saw his first-quarter touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts wiped off, and it reignited a debate that's been ever-present since the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty began
14:42 ET, 23 Nov 2025Updated 14:48 ET, 23 Nov 2025
Travis Kelce's touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts was controversially taken away after the referees called the Kansas City Chiefs for facemask
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Travis Kelce's touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts was controversially taken away after the referees called the Kansas City Chiefs for facemask(Image: NFL/CBS)
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce appeared to have scored the 85th touchdown of his illustrious career, tying the high-stakes Indianapolis Colts matchup at 7-7 in the last seconds of the first quarter.
But it was cruelly taken away after the officiating crew ruled that the Chiefs committed a foul on the play. Kelce took the snap out of the shotgun about 10 yards away from the Colts' end zone and then charged forward, gliding past Indianapolis defenders before crossing the goal line. He tossed the ball into the Arrowhead stands and then celebrated with his teammates with a mid-air chest bump.
But the celebrations didn't last long, as the refs called Chiefs offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor for a facemask after he made contact with Colts defensive end Kwity Paye, who was trying to tackle Kelce. It comes after Kelce gave a 10-word explanation after denying a young Chiefs fan's autograph request.
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The decision negated the touchdown, while Kansas City also received a 15-yard penalty before having to settle for a field goal. However, replays showed that while Taylor's hand touched Paye's helmet, the Chiefs offensive tackle didn't appear to have grabbed his facemask.
The ruling sparked fury on social media, with NFL fans using the controversy to debunk the long-standing claim that Kansas City tends to receive favorable calls — a conspiracy theory that has been prevalent in the Patrick Mahomes era.
"I thought the Kansas City Chiefs get all of the calls in their favor. I thought there was league wide conspiracy theory to keep the Chiefs on top," one fan wrote, while another added, "Another Chiefs TD called back on a phantom penalty that never actually happened. But remember, the refs are in it for KC...."
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A third commented, "Another Chiefs TD called back on a phantom penalty that never actually happened. But remember, the refs are in it for KC...." And a fourth chimed in, "Refs definitely rigging this game for the Chiefs by…taking that touchdown away from the Chiefs."
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