NFL Coach Calls Out Patrick Mahomes, Refs, League for Flopping in Chiefs win vs. Bengals

This unidentified NFC coach apparently was trying to be funny with a comment about Patrick Mahomes. Still, you don’t often see the word “flopped” adjacent to the name of one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL.

Let’s go back to the final seconds of the AFC title game. (You probably haven’t seen replays enough, right?). With the score tied 20-20, Mahomes needed to convert a third-and-four to give kicker Harrison Butker a chance at a game-winning field goal. Mahomes scrambled on a bad ankle, getting to the sideline about a second before hard-charging Joseph Ossai. Mahomes appeared to have a first down, but Ossai accidentally made sure when he pushed the quarterback. They both lost their balance and slid towards the bench. The only one hurt was Ossai, who tweaked his knee and crushed his soul.

The flag for unnecessary roughness was automatic. The ref tossed it and it landed like a golden snowball.

Here’s the video. Scrutinize away. It’s approaching 5 million views.

Did Patrick Mahomes Flop to Get the Call?

Here’s where the unidentified NFC defensive coach came in with permission to be catty. He told Mike Sando of The Athletic:

“That is what the owners want, $40 million skill players flopping on the ground, drawing fouls from (part-time officials who also are) chemistry teachers, medical device salesmen and the like.”

Surely this week, we’ll see the clip in Rex Chapman’s Twitter timeline. The former Kentucky basketball star does a hilarious “block or charge” feature on social media. As we said earlier, Ossai was crushed over the call. The 22-year-old was having the game of his life harassing Patrick Mahomes. He already had five tackles, three quarterback hurries and a pbu. After the flag, as Butker’s kick sailed clean, as most everyone at Arrowhead Stadium celebrated, Ossai sobbed.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs march on to the Super Bowl. Maybe he’ll be able to play on a healthy ankle. Against the Bengals, Sunday, he still was nursing the effects of a high ankle sprain.

“I didn’t expect to be able to run very much,” Mahomes said after the game. “… I didn’t have the burst I usually have.” But he certainly had enough of a burst to race to the sideline for a first down, then take the push from Ossai as bonus yards.

“Throughout the game I tried to do whatever I could to win,” the Chiefs quarterback said. “And obviously, there were times you could see I couldn’t do what I wanted to. But I was able to do enough on that last play to get myself out of bounds and try to give Harrison a chance to win.”