NFL Won't Fine Texans Players After Controversial Patrick Mahomes Calls

The NFL has decided not to fine Houston Texans DE Will Anderson Jr and LB Henry To'oTo'o for their hits on Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in last week's Divisional Round, which is probably not going to stop the controversy about those calls.

Per NFL Insider Tom Pelissero, "The NFL didn't fine #Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. or LB Henry To'oTo'o for their hits on Patrick Mahomes that yielded controversial penalties in last week's playoff game. That isn't an admission of an officiating error. But neither play rose to the level of a fine."

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The Divisional Round faceoff between the Texans and the Chiefs was controversial from nearly its first moments. Although the Chiefs won 23-14 and moved on to the AFC Championship match against the Buffalo Bills tomorrow, their victory has been clouded by accusations that the NFL referees in the game were blatantly favoring Mahomes.

In particular, two questionable penalty calls became key turning points, helping the Chiefs extend their lead and eventually claim victory.

The first controversial flag came when Anderson was called for roughing the passer on Mahomes. Upon review, it was clear that Anderson's hit didn't make contact with Mahomes' head, as initially called, making the penalty seem unjustified.

Still, the 15-yard penalty kept the Chiefs' drive alive and gave them a boost early in the game.

However, the most questionable penalty came in the third quarter, during a play where Mahomes was attempting to escape the Texans' defense. As Mahomes slid to the ground to avoid a sack, two Houston defenders — Folorunso Fatukasi and To'oTo'o — collided with each other, hitting Mahomes after he had already started his slide.

Despite the seemingly harmless nature of the play, the officials threw a 15-yard unnecessary roughness flag on the Texans.

What made this call even more puzzling was the fact that replays showed To'oTo'o's hit appeared to make more contact with his own teammate than with Mahomes himself.

The penalty extended Kansas City's drive, and they capitalized on the opportunity, marching 81 yards on 13 plays. Mahomes then connected with Travis Kelce for an 11-yard touchdown, pushing the Chiefs' lead to 20-12.

The 30 yards awarded to the Chiefs from these two penalties — one on Anderson and the other on the late hit — proved crucial.

Many fans and analysts felt the calls were questionable at best, fueling the ongoing narrative that Kansas City was once again benefitting from favorable officiating. The penalties played a direct role in Kansas City's ability to extend their advantage, and ultimately, were a significant factor in the outcome of the game.

As Pelissero notes, the fact that the NFL is choosing not to fine the Houston players is not an admission that the penalties were in error. But it certainly doesn't help the swelling narrative that when it comes to Mahomes, refs are a little too generous.

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