NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos
Nov 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Patrick on the field prior to a game between Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn criticized Brittany Mahomes and Kelly Stafford on her podcast, arguing that marrying an NFL quarterback doesn’t shield either woman from criticism after both publicly complained about the league this month.
“Marriage to a quarterback doesn’t disqualify you from commentary, from having an opinion. It also doesn’t exempt your commentary from criticism,” Cohn said on her self-titled podcast. Her closing advice to both women came down to “know the room.”
MORE:
Brittany Mahomes and the false start
NFL: Washington Commanders at Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets wife, Brittany Mahomes | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Brittany’s complaint followed the Chiefs’ 28-24 loss at Denver on Nov. 1. With four seconds left, Patrick Mahomes found Rashee Rice in the end zone from the Denver 1, but right tackle Jaylon Moore was flagged for a false start. Denver then sacked Mahomes on the replayed snap from the 6.
“You can’t tell me you call that on a game winning TD, oh wait yeah I can cause it’s us,” Brittany wrote on Instagram.
Head coach Andy Reid sided with her after the game. “I didn’t see it. But that’s one man’s opinion. I saw him move his head, but I didn’t see a false start,” Reid said. Three days later, though, Travis Kelce backed the officials on “New Heights,” saying, “Yeah, he flinches.”
Cohn had little patience for the idea that officials target Kansas City. “Are you kidding me, Brittany? Brittany, have you heard the conversations happening constantly outside Kansas City for the last few years? You may need to expand your group chat,” Cohn said. “So you can understand why people hear ‘because it’s us’ and think, ‘Are we remembering the same football games, Brittany?’ You saw those.”
MORE:
Kelly Stafford’s Rams bye week complaint
NFL: Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
Kelly Stafford before the game between Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Kelly’s issue was the calendar, not a flag. The Rams visit Arizona on Nov. 15, take their Week 11 bye and then host Green Bay on Nov. 25 in the NFL’s first Thanksgiving Eve game. That leaves Los Angeles 10 days between games instead of the usual 14.
“Just curious to hear the thought process behind making the Rams the only team in the NFL without a true bye week,” Kelly wrote on Instagram on Nov. 3. “Because damn, after 18 years around this league, even I need a week off during the season… and I have never played a single snap.”
Cohn agreed the 4-4 Rams have a fair point on player health. But Kelly’s line about her own fatigue lost her.
“Kelly, that’s the part where you lost me. If you want to have a conversation about player recovery, we can have it. Ten days between games is less than 14. Their bodies need recovery time,” Cohn said.
What did Cohn tell both women?
Cohn didn’t argue that either woman should stay quiet. Instead, she said both posts were fair game for a response because they were made in public.
“Kelly and Brittany are two people making public statements,” Cohn said.
She also offered both a test to run before posting. “Sometimes before you hit post, the most useful question is, how is this going to sound to somebody whose life looks very, very different from my own? Three words, know the room,” Cohn said.
The Packers and Rams meet at SoFi Stadium on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix.
MORE:
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter—
Matt De Lima
Matt De Lima brings 15+ years of elite sports media experience to the table. From covering the gridiron to the hardwood, this Virginia Tech graduate has established himself as a versatile editor and writer for heavy hitters like Sports Illustrated and DraftKings. A twice-nominated FSWA finalist, Matt combines a digital-first philosophy with an eagle eye for breaking news, consistently delivering the engaging coverage today’s audience demands across the NFL, NBA, MLB, and beyond.
View All Posts