J.J. Watt Calls Out NFL Refs For 'Insane' Call In Chiefs-Texans Game
01/18/2025 05:19 PM
As arguably the greatest player in Houston Texans history, J.J. Watt has a pretty obvious bias in the ongoing Chiefs-Texans playoff game. But that doesn't make him any less correct about an absolutely absurd roughing the passer penalty that we saw in the first quarter.
On the Chiefs' second drive of the game, with the game tied 3-3, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was struggling to move the ball and threw an incomplete pass on 3rd down. However, Texans defensive end Will Anderson struck Mahomes right as the ball was released and after the ball hit the ground, the flags came out for a roughing the passer penalty. The Chiefs were given 15 yards and a free first down, which they managed to turn into a field goal to take a 6-3 lead.
But while the Chiefs continued driving down the field, Watt was taking to X to express his frustration over the penalty. Watt declared that the roughing penalties are "out of control" and pointed out that Mahomes wasn't even hit anywhere dangerous by any dangerous part of Anderson's body.
"Roughing the Passer penalties are out of control. Rinse. Repeat," Watt declared.
"He literally hit him in the chest. With his facemask. That was insane," he added in a second post.
He literally hit him in the chest.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) January 18, 2025
With his facemask.
That was insane.
NFL fans have been cursing the Chiefs' insane level of luck and apparent preferential treatment from the referees for a while, but that play really takes the cake for a lot of them.
"That was a (expletive) call. at least make them reviewable if the NFL wants to call these," one user replied.
"Best flop I've seen in a while. Kinda want to turn it off after that," wrote another.
"So out of control, in fact, that they have to INVENT them. #RiggedNFL" a third declared.
This is hardly the first time that the Chiefs have been on the positive side of a call that was 50/50 (at best). There were a ton of moments like that in the regular season where the Chiefs snatched victory from the jaws of defeat thanks in large part to a favorable officiating call, with their win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 being the most memorable.
The game is being played on ESPN. The Chiefs lead 6-3 after the first quarter.
Related: Texans Quarterback C.J. Stroud Appears To Suffer Injury vs. Chiefs
