NEW DELHI: During the NFL's winter meetings in Dallas, Commissioner
Roger Goodell
stood firm in support of league officials when addressing the contentious offsides penalty involving
Kansas City Chiefs
wide receiver
Kadarius Toney
. Goodell expressed irony in having to defend the officials for making the correct call, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging their efforts.
The controversial play unfolded late in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs' recent 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Toney's apparent offsides infraction occurred as he failed to confirm his position with the line official before the snap, leading to a nullified touchdown.
Chiefs tight end
Travis Kelce
executed a deep pass from quarterback
Patrick Mahomes
, followed by a lateral pass to Toney, who dashed to the end zone.
Both Chiefs head coach
Andy Reid
and quarterback Patrick Mahomes initially expressed discontent with the officiating decision. Reid labeled the penalty as "embarrassing," and Mahomes showcased frustration on the sideline. However, upon reviewing game footage, both Reid and Mahomes acknowledged Toney's offsides position.
Reid provided insight into the situation, stating, "Normally, he (Kadarius Toney) looks over to the sideline and just gets an OK, and on that one he just happened not to, so that would be the coaching point. Make sure you check with the guy on the side just to see if you’re aligned. He’s not lining up offsides on purpose."
Mahomes echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need to move past such incidents in the competitive league. "I think once the game was over, and you got to sleep and came back on Monday and Tuesday, I think everyone’s mind was in the right spot. In this league, you have to move past that stuff," said Mahomes.
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