Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney discussed his controversial offsides penalty against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, and it’s safe to say the third-year wide receiver was not a fan of the call.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Toney said the referee “didn’t make no effort” to let him know he was lined up offsides late in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Bills.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney runs to the end zone after catching a lateral by teammate Travis Kelce during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, December 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. The play was nullified after Toney was called for being offside on the play. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
“It’s important when they try to make it important, I guess you could say. Inch, two inches, whatever, in front of the ball, the referee has a job to let me know, I guess you could say. He didn’t make no effort. You watch the video, he didn’t make no effort to say anything about no alignment,” Toney told reporters.
“Apparently, he wanted to do that.”
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Referee Carl Cheffers, one of the game’s officials, said that the player is ultimately responsible for lining up onside.
“Ultimately, if they looked for alignment advice, certainly we are going to give it to them,” Cheffers said. “But ultimately, they are responsible for wherever they line up. And certainly, no warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they’re actually blocking our view of the ball.”
Toney scored a touchdown on the play after Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce threw a lateral to him deep in Buffalo territory.
The offsides call negated the touchdown on a drive where the Chiefs were stopped on fourth down.
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Kadarius Toney, #19 of the Kansas City Chiefs, carries the ball for a touchdown on a play that was called back due to a penalty during the second half of the game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Video of the play circulated on social media of Toney appearing to briefly point toward the referee on the sideline before the ball was snapped.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes went ballistic on the sidelines after the possession, yelling at the referee who made the offensive offsides call.
Mahomes was heard complaining about the call to Bills quarterback Josh Allen as the two players shook hands after the game. Mahomes expressed regret over the way he reacted, later in the week.
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Patrick Mahomes, #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs, reacts with Josh Allen, #17 of the Buffalo Bills, after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“Obviously, you don’t ever want to react that way,” Mahomes said in an interview on 610 Sports. “I care, man. I love this game, I love my teammates. I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win.
“But obviously, can’t do that, can’t be that way toward officials or really anybody in life, so I probably regret acting like that. But, more than anything, I regretted how I acted toward Josh after the game, because he had nothing to do with it.”
Kansas City plays the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
