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Chiefs benefit on controversial Xavier Worthy catch that hit the ground
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) reacts with fans after a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the first half in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chiefs benefit on controversial Xavier Worthy catch that hit the ground

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports  |  By Larry Brown  |  Last updated Jan 26, 2025 8:22 PM ET

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Kansas City Chiefs got the benefit of a call from the officials.

The Chiefs were leading the Buffalo Bills, 14-10, late in the second quarter of Sunday’s AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. They had a 3rd-and-5 and threw a pass near the goal line for Xavier Worthy, who competed with Cole Bishop for the ball.

Both players leaped for the ball, and Worthy was credited with a catch on the field. Separately, there was a flag thrown on the play on Damar Hamlin for defensive holding on the other side of the field.

The Chiefs declined the penalty since the catch took the ball down to the 3-yard line. The Bills challenged the call of a catch, feeling the ball had hit the ground.

Despite the ball clearly hitting the ground, the officials reviewed the play and let the call on the field stand.

KC ended up with 1st-and-goal from the 3 thanks to the call standing. They wound up scoring on a run by Patrick Mahomes and took a 21-10 lead.

There has been an increasing perception that the Chiefs benefit from calls from the officials. Calls like this one won’t help that perception.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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