Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid receive heavy fines for criticizing referees December 16, 2023
January 8, 2022; Denver, Colorado, United States; Patrick Mahomes (15), quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are taking big hits in their wallets.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that Kansas City Chiefs star QB Mahomes was fined $50,000 by the league.
Unsportsmanlike conduct for insulting, threatening or abusive language toward officials was cited as the reason for Mahomes’ fine, as well as violating the league’s long-standing rules prohibiting public criticism of officials. Chiefs coach Reid was hit with an even bigger fine.
According to Rapoport, the NFL fined Reid $100,000, also for violating long-standing league rules and publicly criticizing officials.
Mahomes and Reid were angry with the referees after an offensive offsides penalty on Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney negated a touchdown in the fourth quarter of last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Kansas City ended up losing 20-17, and Mahomes and Reid criticized the referees in their respective postgame press conferences. Mahomes was particularly angry immediately after the penalty and threw a tantrum on the field.
However, videos later emerged suggesting Toney bore much of the blame for the punishment, and Mahomes and Reid have since reversed their position.
But that won’t stop any of the Chiefs’ best players from writing a big check to the league office.
