NFL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks to referee Carl Cheffers (51) after a catch by Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (not pictured) in the third quarter of Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Laundry Alert: Here’s This Week’s Chiefs-Bills Referee

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Zak Gilbert | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 9:00 AM ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – As the adage goes, it’s not a penalty unless they call it.

Well, when the Chiefs (5-3) visit the Bills (5-2), expect them to call it – a lot.

The NFL has assigned referee Carl Cheffers and his crew to Sunday’s game (3:25 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan). Cheffers and his crew lead the league this season with 17.29 flags per game.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

One of the league’s most senior referees, Cheffers has been a white hat since 2008 and an NFL official since 2000. He first began officiating in 1980.

Super Bowl history, not the good kind

Chiefs fans don’t have fond memories of Cheffers, either. As the Super Bowl 55 referee for Kansas City’s 30-9 loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, Cheffers and his crew penalized the Chiefs 11 times – tied for fourth-most in Super Bowl history.

And the 120 yards walked off against the Chiefs in that game were the third-most in a Super Bowl, and most in 46 years, since officials penalized Pittsburgh 122 yards in Super Bowl 9.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Two months before the Chiefs drafted Patrick Mahomes, Cheffers oversaw Super Bowl 51, when Brady and the Patriots erased a 28-3 deficit to beat Atlanta. In the divisional round that season, Cheffers was at Arrowhead Stadium as the referee for a thriller between the Steelers and Chiefs.

Down 18-10 midway through the fourth quarter, Alex Smith drove Kansas City 75 yards in 13 plays and Spencer Ware scored from 1 yard out with 2:43 remaining. Smith, who’d converted two fourth downs on the drive, appeared to convert a tying two-point conversion with a pass to Demetrius Harris.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

However, Cheffers’ crew flagged Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher for holding, taking points off the board, and the Steelers advanced with an 18-16 win.

Cheffers is very familiar with the Chiefs-Bills rivalry. In 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium, he officiated Buffalo's 20-17 win in which Kadarius Toney lined up offside just prior to scoring what appeared to be a game-winning, 49-yard touchdown -- after a lateral across the field from Travis Kelce.

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Cheffers, who also officiated Kansas City's Super Bowl 57 win over Philadelphia, is the first referee this season to work multiple Chiefs games. His crew was in Brazil for Kansas City’s season-opening, 27-21 loss to the Chargers. The crew called Kansas City for 10 penalties, four alone on right tackle Jawaan Taylor.

Road teams flagged more often

The Chiefs should also note that Cheffers’ group this season has flagged visiting teams 69 times for 509 yards, and home teams 52 times for 394 yards. Visiting teams with the Cheffers crew are only 2-5 this season. Those road-team losses include Cleveland’s upset of Green Bay in Week 3, the Colts’ only loss to date in Week 4 against the Rams, and the Cowboys’ loss last week at Denver.

Last season, Cheffers’ crew had just one Chiefs game, the 27-19 home win over Houston in Week 16. And while the crew leads the league in penalties per game this year, Cheffers’ group had the fewest flags per game in 2024 (10.94), according to NFLPenalties.com.