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LINING UP OFFSIDES — The NFL world is still reacting, and Kansas City Chiefs fans are still emotional, after the Chiefs' 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills after wide receiver Kadarius Toney's late touchdown off a lateral from tight end Travis Kelce was nullified by an offensive offsides call.
Patrick Mahomes was understandably livid at the call, even saying the offsides call might affect Kelce's future Hall-of-Fame status. Kelce, though, was able to shake it off.
In a postgame moment that was captured by NFL Films and will air on Tuesday's Inside the NFL on CW Sports, Kelce can be seen embracing Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen after the game.
"That was the craziest (expletive) I've ever seen in my life," Allen tells Kelce after the tight end calls him a "warrior."
"Craziest one that'll never count," Kelce responded, without missing a beat.
"That was the craziest ---- I've ever seen in my life." - Josh Allen
— NFL (@NFL) December 12, 2023
"Craziest one that'll never count." - Travis Kelce (via @NFLFilms)#InsideTheNFL tomorrow 8/7c on @thecwpic.twitter.com/PJSnsx2JXe
Moments earlier, Kelce caught a pass from Mahomes before tossing a lateral to Toney for what the Chiefs thought would have been the game-winning touchdown. But Toney was adjudged to have lined up in the neutral zone by the side judge, and the play was called back.
After the game, a hot mic caught a hotter Mahomes as he was embracing Allen, calling it the "wildest (expletive) call I've ever (expletive) seen ... (expletive) terrible."
Mahomes didn't hold back on the officiating in the postgame media room, taking to the podium to explain how the officials "wait until a minute left to make a call like that?"
"I've played seven years in the National Football League and never had offensive offsides called," Mahomes said, at one point.
He continued his rant, even bringing up Kelce's near-certain Hall-of-Fame candidacy when his career is over, while appearing at the podium after slamming his helmet on the sideline in frustration over the call.
"That's a Hall-of-Fame tight end making a Hall-of-Fame play, and won't be shown because we threw a flag for offensive offsides," Mahomes said. "It takes away from not only this game and this season, but from a legendary career that Travis has had. That hurts me, because I know how hard he works."
Patrick Mahomes says that offensive offsides call not only impacted the game but Travis Kelce's HOF career pic.twitter.com/gONbIdxpqB
— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) December 11, 2023
For the record, Mahomes has since apologized for reacting the way he did, certainly against Allen and likely with his words in the heat of the moment and at the postgame press conference.
"It happens, man. It's the NFL," Mahomes told on 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City, per CBS Sports. "Stuff like that happens. You've got to move on. ... Obviously, you don't want to react that way. I care man. I love it. I love this game, I love my teammates, I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win. But obviously, can't do that. Can't be that way towards officials or really anybody in life."
Still at 8-5 and in the thick of the hunt for the No. 1 seed out of the AFC, the Chiefs head to Foxborough, Massachussetts, to face the postseason-eliminated New England Patriots (3-10) as part of Sunday's Week 15 slate.
