Report: NFL to Review Mahomes, Andy Reid Criticizing Refs from Chiefs' Loss to Bills

The NFL will reportedly review Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid's criticism of referees following Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the league will look at the comments due to there being a "long-standing policy against questioning the integrity of the referees."

ESPN's Adam Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show on Monday (around the 5:19 mark) that Mahomes and Reid could be facing fines:

Reid was incensed after wideout Kadarius Toney was called for an offensive offsides penalty that negated what would have been a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

"Very disappointed that it ended the way it did," Reid said. "Normally I'll get—I never use any of this as excuses, but normally I get a warning before something like that happens in a big game. (It's) a bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place…

"I've been in the league a long time and I haven't had one like that. So, not where, at least in that kind of position there where it is not given a heads up to."

Mahomes told Bills quarterback Josh Allen the call was "f--king terrible" during their postgame meeting on the field and continued to rip officials when talking to reporters at his postgame press conference:

"I've played seven years [and] never had offensive offside called. That's elementary school [stuff] we're talking about. There was no warning throughout the entire game. Then you wait until there's a minute left in the game to make a call like that? It's tough. Lost for words. It's tough. Regardless if we win or lose, just the end of another game and we're talking about the refs. It's just not what we want for the NFL and for football.

"What you want as a competitor is you practice all week to go out there and try to win, and you want it to be about your team and that team and see what happens. You don't want to be talking about this stuff after the game. I'm not worried about if there was a flag on the next player or whatever, not a flag. I want to go out there and play and then see what happens at the end, see what the score is, and then I can live with the results."

Referee Carl Cheffers defended the call after the game, saying Toney was so far offside that the call was blatant.

"Ultimately, they are responsible for wherever they line up," he told reporters. "No warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they're actually blocking our view of the ball. We would give them a warning if it was anywhere close, but this particular one is beyond a warning."

The Chiefs scored a 49-yard touchdown on the play when Travis Kelce lateraled a completed pass to Toney, who raced into the end zone. The score would have put Kansas City up by at least three points with 1:13 remaining.

Instead, they turned the ball over on downs three plays later and dropped their second straight game.

Replay showed Toney was clearly offside, so there's not much anyone on the Kansas City side could say to make the gripes seem valid. Penalties are penalties, regardless of whether they happen in the first minute or the last minute of the game.

Toney's placement at the line did not give the Chiefs any advantage on the play, but the reality is an infraction was committed and called. The frustration is understandable, but with a day to sit on the call, it's likely Mahomes and Reid will regret their comments—especially if the NFL levies a fine.