The Kansas City Chiefs kicked off their season with a convincing 31-10 victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, but the win didn't come without controversy. A replay showed Travis Kelce appearing to commit a blatant hold on a Broncos defender during Patrick Mahomes' 15-yard touchdown scramble, a penalty that officials somehow missed.
The play in question occurred in the second quarter when Mahomes, shaking off any lingering injury concerns, took off and sprinted into the end zone. As he crossed the goal line, the broadcast replay clearly showed Kelce wrapping his arms around a Denver linebacker, preventing him from pursuing the quarterback. It was the kind of hold that usually draws a flag, but the referees let it slide, much to the chagrin of NFL fans everywhere.
Social media erupted almost instantly, with the account Rate The Refs calling out the missed call. "Travis Kelce gets away with a hold on this touchdown run from Mahomes. Rules analyst claims this is a tough one for the refs to see that’s why they didn’t call it," they posted on X. The sentiment was echoed by countless fans who noted that the Chiefs have seemingly benefited from favorable calls during their dynasty run.
For Mahomes, the touchdown was a personal milestone. Coming off an ankle injury that limited him in the preseason, he admitted that the run gave him a boost of confidence. "Physically, I think that’s the moment," Mahomes said postgame. "I want to get some of these passes down the field a little bit more — I think that’ll help me out mentally and kinda get back in the rhythm of things. That was definitely the moment, physically, to say all this work has paid off. I didn’t feel anything. It’s still a process, I got to still keep getting better and better, but this is obviously a great first week."
The Chiefs will certainly take the touchdown, even if it came with an asterisk. But the missed call raises questions about officiating consistency, a topic that has been a sore spot for many teams. The Broncos, who struggled to contain Kansas City's offense all night, have every right to feel aggrieved.
This isn't the first time Kelce has been at the center of officiating debates, and it likely won't be the last. His brother, Jason Kelce, also made headlines during the broadcast, drawing online criticism for his sneakers with a suit. Meanwhile, the Chiefs' ability to get away with such plays has become a talking point, with some suggesting they receive preferential treatment.
As the season progresses, fans will be watching closely to see if the league addresses these missed calls. For now, the Chiefs move to 1-0, and the Broncos are left wondering what might have been if the flag had been thrown.
For more on the ongoing debate over officiating, check out this detailed breakdown of the missed hold.
