Sunday’s Referee: 3 Numbers That Should Concern Chiefs

“The NFL is not going to allow the Chiefs to start 0-3,” said Don La Greca during Monday’s edition of Don, Hahn and Rosenberg on ESPN New York radio.

“There’s too much on the line, I’m sorry,” La Greca added. “Call me a conspiracy theorist. ESPN can fire me. The NFL is not going to allow the Kansas City Chiefs to lose that game on national television and be 0-3.”

And while La Greca and others believe the NFL loves the Chiefs, including the additional attention Taylor Swift has provided, two things run counter to the theory that – as La Greca said -- Roger Goodell would run onto the field before the Chiefs would be allowed to lose to the Giants.

First is last week’s 20-17 loss to the Eagles. On two fourth-quarter Tush Push plays that went for Eagles first downs, replays showed the Chiefs being robbed. One replay showed Philadelphia linemen moving before the snap, and the last showed Kansas City linebacker Drue Tranquill ripping the ball from Jalen Hurts’ possession.

Exhibit B is this week’s referee, Land Clark. Here are three numbers from NFLPenalties.com with regard to the Chiefs and Clark’s crew that should concern Kansas City.

1-Clark’s most recent NFL game

On Sunday, Clark’s crew officiated Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, the Lions’ 52-21 victory over Chicago. Out of 11 penalties, the crew flagged the visitor, Chicago, for eight of them.

2-Clark’s last Chiefs game

Clark’s crew drew just one Chiefs game in 2024, but it was significant. It was the only game the Chiefs played to win and lost, the 30-21 setback at Buffalo on Nov. 17. In that game, of nine total flags, six of them were called against Kansas City. The Chiefs finished the season 15-2, including a meaningless season-ending loss at Denver, resting their starters with home-field advantage already secured.

3-Clark’s first of two Chiefs games in 2023

Clark’s crew officiated two Chiefs games in 2023, a 27-20 win in Week 5 win at Minnesota, and a 31-17 victory in Week 12 at Las Vegas. In that game against the Vikings, Clark’s crew flagged the Chiefs for 10 penalties. That number was the most called by a single crew against the Chiefs in 2023. And with regard to the crew, it was tied for their second-highest against one team in a game that season.