The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-3 after their most recent game at home against the Detroit Lions. In that game, the Chiefs made history, becoming the first team since 1972 to finish with zero accepted penalties, zero turnovers, and no more than one punt. NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcast called it one of the cleanest games in NFL history.

But that game has sparked ongoing discussions about officiating consistency and whether the calls truly favored one team over the other. At Monday’s press conference, Andy Reid was asked to give his take on the same. “I thought the officials let the guys play. I’m not saying I agreed with everything that went on, but I thought they were very fair on how they did it,” Big Red said.

The coach made it clear that both teams were treated equally, with calls balanced across the board. “So they could have called us on some and they could have called them on some and they just they kind of let it play out and let the teams really show off what they’ve got. Which I think is good. It’s good for everybody. It’s good for the fans.”

The refs, often the subject of intense criticism for missed or questionable calls, apparently took a back seat and allowed football to flow. And guess what? That gave the Chiefs a chance to display their skills with less interference.

The Chiefs managed to combine physicality with a mistake-free game, a rare achievement in today’s NFL. The Lions players were clearly frustrated with how the refs didn’t call many mistakes by the Chiefs, despite the zero-penalty mark.

Particularly defensive back Brian Branch wasn’t impressed with the officiating’s “let it play” approach. Branch started a post-game scuffle, frustrated by what he called missed calls against the Chiefs, including a shove from JuJu Smith-Schuster that went unpenalized.

The Lions finished with four penalties, but many of those occurred on crucial plays leading to Chiefs touchdowns. So, while Reid sees fairness, others see missed opportunities and bias. Digging deeper, the Chiefs have a complex relationship with penalties in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Despite the latest game’s spotless penalty record, Kansas City ranks in the top 10 for accepted penalties league-wide since 2018. In fact, only three teams this season have more accepted penalties than the Chiefs. And there’s another play from the Chiefs reigniting old debates and sparking heavy backlash over alleged officiating favoritism.

Travis Kelce’s catch ignites questions

Travis Kelce made a 12-yard reception that has since exploded into a heated debate. Replays showed the ball briefly touching the ground as Kelce secured it, but the officials didn’t review the play. Instead, the Chiefs immediately ran the next snap, cementing the call on the field as a catch.

Kelce’s reception wasn’t his only headline that weekend. Just a week prior, he made NFL history. He made a record for most receptions by a tight end through his first 13 seasons. But this catch? It’s a reminder that even the best players find themselves at the center of controversial calls that can sway momentum.

The decision not to review could be chalked up to timing or game flow. But it’s the kind of moment that fuels the ‘ref bias’ chatter. Especially when paired with the unusual lack of penalties called against the Chiefs. Whether it was a missed hold on Kelce, or an ignored shove or push earlier, it adds another layer to the ongoing debate about how much influence refs have on the outcome.