Former Cowboys Hall of Famer attacks the refs ahead of the Super Bowl: “we owe it to the fans to get it right”

The Kansas City Chiefs have become the NFL’s dominant force in the last six years, in which they have reached the Super Bowl on five occasions. Patrick Mahomes and Co have won three championships in that time and are going for a first-ever ‘three-peat’ against the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans on February 9. However, not everyone is especially happy about it, with a growing number of voices believing Andy Reid’s team are benefiting from “friendly” officiating.

During their run to Super Bowl LIX, NFL commentator Rich Eisen and comedian Bill Burr are among those who have referenced the Chiefs getting “a lot of calls” following incidents against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, and in the win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game.

Both Texans’ coach DeMeco Ryans and defensive end Will Anderson Jr were less than complimentary about the officials after they were eliminated from the postseason, the latter claiming “we knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game”.

Troy Aikman: “NFL has become more controversial”

A little over a week before the Super Bowl, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, now an analyst for Fox Sports, has put match officials under more pressure to get more calls right.

“I know the officials have a tough job,” the Hall of Famer told the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. “I mean, the scrutiny that they’re under. As we’ve gotten more advanced with instant replay, those guys, it seems, have become more and more scrutinized. And the game has not become less controversial, the game has become more controversial."

“A lot of money changing hands” with referee calls

Perhaps unexpectedly, Aikman then went on to give gambling as one of the main reasons for his view.

“I just think that we’re at a point that this has tipped a little bit because the league is partners with a number of these gambling services.

“Here you are promoting gambling, people are gambling more than they ever have before. Those types of calls – there’s a lot at stake regardless – but especially when you’re considering there’s a lot of money that’s changing hands with these calls as well, I think that we owe it to the fans that we get it right and I think we’re at a point in time where we can.”

The Chiefs face the Eagles at Super Bowl LIX on February 9. With more than a week of build-up to the game still to go, the referees in New Orleans will likely be under more scrutiny than ever before.

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