Jets' Sauce Gardner: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Got 'Bailed Out by' Refs on Penalty Call

New York Jets star Sauce Gardner thought his team was hard done by on his holding penalty that nullified a Patrick Mahomes interception in Sunday's 23-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gardner told reporters the Chiefs got "bailed out" by the officials.

"The receiver ran into me, it was a collision," he said. "The same thing that was happening all game. They ain't throw no flags. Pat threw the ball outside of the receiver, MC was there. He made the play and then the ref threw the flag."

"To me, personally, that's like when you play basketball one-on-one and you go up to lay the ball up and you wait to see if you miss and then call the foul."

Saleh vehemently disagreed with the call as well. While he declined to address the penalty after the game, he said his reaction on the sideline that drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag toward the end of the contest stemmed from the interception that wasn't.

The frustration was understandable to a degree.

Gardner's hold on Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling didn't seem to go above and beyond the physicality wideouts and defensive backs engage in when they're jostling for position. And if Michael Carter II's interception stands, New York has more than four minutes to get the game-tying or go-ahead score.

However, one could counter the Jets still had four minutes to get the ball back and couldn't do it.

Not to mention, Zach Wilson's fumble with 7:24 remaining allowed the Chiefs to start what proved to be the final drive in plus territory. In terms of costly miscues, none may have been bigger than that.

Whether or not the refs "bailed out" Kansas City, the Jets gave the reigning Super Bowl champion a helping hand of their own.