On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs edged out the Las Vegas Raiders with a narrow 19-17 victory, but not without controversy. With 15 seconds remaining, the Raiders were positioned at the Chiefs’ 30-yard line, well within field-goal range. However, a chaotic sequence unfolded, leading to widespread scrutiny of the officiating.
On Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Jason and Travis Kelce discussed the reason behind the “controversy.”
During a critical snap, Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell was caught off guard as the ball was unexpectedly hiked. A flag was thrown, and an official initially signaled a false start. However, after a huddle among the referees, the call was changed to an “illegal snap infraction.”
Consequently, it cost the Raiders possession and eventually, the game.
“It’s illegal. It wasn’t a false start,” Travis said. “It’s not like everyone got set and somebody jumped offside. The entire team wasn’t set, and because of that, the play then goes on. The play doesn’t stop right there on the snap like a false start would.”
Adding clarity, Jason Kelce said a false start would have immediately stopped the play. However, the snap infraction led the play to continue, resulting in a fumble recovery by the Chiefs. Moreover, he cleared the air about how the sheer miscommunication happened due to the Raiders’ use of a silent count.
It was O’Connell’s hand claps. They were intended to align his offense but were sadly misinterpreted by the center, which led to the errant snap.
Talking about the Raiders predicament, the Chiefs tight end added:
“It is what it is, and I’m not pointing blame on anybody…. You just never want to be in a position where you’re relying on the refs to make a call, whether it’s the right call or the wrong call. A call that takes the ball away from you or ruins your chances of winning. And it is what it is.
“You know, I’ve been in situations where I’ve put it in the refs’ hands, and I’ve come up, you know, empty-handed like that as well.”
Next up, the Chiefs will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
Date and Time: Sunday, Dec. 8 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV Channel: NBC, Peacock. Local fans can tune in via KSHB.
Listen Live: WDAF (106.5 FM) Chiefs Radio Network/ Tico Sports (Kansas City)
