Over the last several years, but especially this season, one of the football world's favorite talking points is that the Kansas City Chiefs are the beneficiaries of a league-led conspiracy that biases the officials in their favor. Pay attention on any football Sunday (or Monday, Thursday or Saturday) and you will surely see someone promoting this theory.
In the wake of Kansas City's AFC title game victory over the Buffalo Bills (which did include multiple close calls that went in the Chiefs' favor), linebacker Drue Tranquill has a message for the people who buy into that theory.
"Shoutout to the Buffalo Bills.. heck of a battle," Tranquill said on Twitter. "The rest of y'all can take all that 'ref' talk [and] kick rocks. We stand on business."
Shoutout to the @BuffaloBills .. heck of a battle.
— Drue Tranquill (@DTranquill) January 27, 2025
The rest of y’all can take all that “ref” talk & kick rocks. We stand on business‼️
Leave aside the fact that so many people would have to be in on this plot that it would almost certainly get out eventually. Consider that some of those people would have to be employed by one of the other 31 teams, and you can see how it strains credibility.
Still, the idea that people are going to stop talking about the refs and this conspiracy theory seems wildly unlikely. Even if and when the Chiefs lose a game, the theory will still be out there. Just like it was out there during the New England Patriots dynasty in the early 2000s. And just like it will be during any future dynasty.
