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NFL Controversially Disciplines Texans Player After Chiefs Game

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Jan 22, 2025 2:04 PM ET

The NFL allegedly fined Joe Mixon for critical comments someone else made.

Fans, pundits, and the Houston Texans bickered about the officiating in Saturday's 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Two controversial penalties on hits to Patrick Mahomes extended drives for the defending champions.

On Wednesday, Mixon announced that he received a fine from the league. However, the Texans running back claimed the NFL made an error.

"I'm getting fined by the NFL for what someone else said," Mixon said. "What's next? I get fined by them for Connor McDavid cross checking an opponent on a NHL game!"

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the league's letter misattributed a tweet from former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh to Mixon.

"Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with Chiefs," Houshmandzadeh wrote during the game. These officials are [trash emojis] & bias."

Mixon's agent, Peter Schaffer, told Florio he'll "defend and appeal" the fine and "explore all other legal avenues to rectify this situation."

Even if the NFL made an error in its letter to Mixon, the league likely intended to fine the Pro Bowler for what he actually said at Kansas City.

"Everybody know how it is playing up here," Mixon told reporters after the game. "You can never leave it into the refs' hands. The whole world see, man."

Mixon wasn't the only Texans player to accuse the league of conspiring against them. Will Anderson Jr., who got flagged for roughing the passer on what would have been a third-down stop, will almost certainly get fined for his post-game remark.

"We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game," Anderson said, via ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was slightly more subtle when toeing a similar line.

"We knew going into this game, man, it was us versus everybody. And when I say everybody, it's everybody," Ryans said. "Knowing that going into this game, what we were up against, we can't make the mistakes that we made."

Perhaps the embarrassing slipup will cause the NFL to reconsider Mixon's fine. Otherwise, the league risks more bad optics as critics complain about any call that benefits the Chiefs in their quest for a Super Bowl three-peat.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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