Patrick Mahomes claims Chiefs teammate Kadarius Toney’s reaction to his mistake will ‘define him’ – after the wide receiver’s winning touchdown was overturned as he was offside
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes said teammate Kadarius Toney’s reaction to his mistake will define him.
The Chiefs fell to 8-5 after a disappointing 20-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, which ended in dramatic scenes when Toney’s potential game-winning touchdown was called back due to an offsides penalty on the receiver.
The offside call cost Kansas City the win, but Mahomes, who was left fuming on the field late in the game, said the error would not affect Toney.
“Just be yourself, man. . . . You make one mistake and it won’t define you. It’s going to be how you respond to that mistake,” Mahomes said, via P.J. Green of Fox 4 in Kansas City.
The defender added that “all the receivers know that I believe in them.”
Patrick Mahomes said teammate Kadarius Toney’s reaction to his mistake will define him
Tony’s potential game-winning touchdown was overturned due to an offsides penalty.
This isn’t Tony’s first mistake this season, as the receiver has dropped the ball multiple times.
A screaming Mahomes had to be restrained as he tried to confront the officials before telling opposite number Josh Allen the call was “fucking terrible” in dramatic moments late in the game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Much of the Chiefs’ anger was believed to stem from the referees’ failure to warn them of a possible offensive offside.
But referee Karl Cheffers said Toney was so far offside that he was “blocking our view of the ball” and admitted he would have advised the Chiefs on their position if they had asked for it. But head coach Andy Reid admitted that was not the case.
Tony’s touchdown would have given the hosts a 23-20 lead with just over a minute to play, but as the score was erased and Buffalo held on for the win, a red mist descended on Mahomes.
But the caller appeared to have calmed down after Sunday’s crisis and said Monday night that he regretted his actions.
Mahomes admitted his behavior was unacceptable and he is now willing to accept “consequences” for it.
The officials overturned the touchdown because Tony (circled) was offside.
Furious defender screamed at officials and slammed his helmet after the bell
Chiefs players restrained Mahomes as he attempted to confront the officials for an offside call.
When asked if he expected a fine, he replied: 610 Sports: “Honestly, I do not know. I know that usually when you talk about judges, saying something about judges is not good. Their work is hard, they try to do the same for their heir.
“Whatever happens, happens. You have to accept the consequences of your actions and that’s what I’ve always stood by.
“I acted differently than usual, and if there are consequences, I have to accept them.”
Mahomes was widely criticized Monday, with FOX Sports’ Skip Bayless calling his outburst “sick behavior” and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith saying the NFL MVP “embarrassed himself.”
But Travis Kelce hit back subtly, taking a dig at officials during the latest episode of his New Heights podcast on Wednesday.
Mahomes said he would accept any fine the NFL might give him.
His brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason, said for the first time at the end of their postgame meltdown: “The refs are very worried, I think they’re taking too much.”
Before Travis chimed in, “They signed up for this.”
Jason concluded: “When your emotions get involved in it, sometimes it comes out more aggressive than you intend, and then that leads to more people talking about it and more people causing controversy around it – and that’s just not productive.”
While his comments may well have been tongue-in-cheek, Travis still rushed to teammate Mahomes’ defense amid criticism of his furious reaction to an offside call that cost them a late win.