Drue Tranquill to fans who think Chiefs get special treatment from refs after AFC championship win: ‘Kick rocks’

Drue Tranquill has a very clear message to fans who think the Kansas City Chiefs are getting special treatment from the referees.

“Kick rocks.”

The linebacker took to social media after the Chiefs’ 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game on Sunday night. That win punched the Chiefs’ ticket to Super Bowl LIX, where they’ll take on the Philadelphia Eagles and attempt to win what would be a historic third straight championship.

During Sunday’s win at Arrowhead Stadium, there was a moment when the Bills were denied a first down on a very controversial spot.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen tried to convert on a fourth-and-1, and he was stood up at the 40-yard line. While replay showed that Allen appeared to reach the line to gain, he was ruled short on the field. A replay review confirmed that call, and the Chiefs took over.

Kansas City scored five plays later, and took a 29-22 lead. That call undoubtedly helped them flip the momentum in the game and set up their win.

Naturally, that only fueled the idea that the Chiefs have been receiving special treatment from the officials. They received a few controversial unnecessary roughness calls in their win over the Houston Texans in the previous round, which only added to the uproar.

Though there are plenty in the NFL world who say such a conspiracy is ridiculous — that includes former vice president of officiating and current Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira, who called it an “absolute myth” last week — the largely social media narrative has stuck. In the end, it doesn’t matter much. The Chiefs still won the game and will get a chance to play for another Lombardi Trophy.

But when the Chiefs take the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans next month for Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles, expect at least a certain group of fans to be keeping an extra close eye on the officials.