NFL commissioner Roger Goodell insisted the level of officiating in the league has never been better in a defiant defence of heavily scrutinised refereeing.
Officials have been heavily scrutinised for missing key calls in favour of the Kansas City Chiefs, who have reached their third Super Bowl in four years where they will face the Philadelphia Eagles. In a pulsating AFC Championship, quarterback Patrick Mahomes overcame adversity in his ankle injury to lead the Chiefs past the Cincinnati Bengals with a 23-20 win at Arrowhead Stadium - but the game was not without controversy.
Late in the fourth quarter, Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai drew an agonising penalty for a late hit on Mahomes which ultimately led to Butker’s winning kick. Burrow was penalised for intentional grounding, which helped slow Cincinnati’s momentum, as well as missed holding by Chiefs offensive lineman Orlando Brown - but the heavily criticised moment came five minutes into the fourth quarter.
