Throughout the 2024 NFL season, accusations swirled that officiating crews were favoring Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, leading to widespread claims that the league was rigging games to benefit the defending champions. The allegations gained even more traction after a series of controversial calls during high-profile games, including the playoffs.
Despite repeated denials from the NFL, fans remained skeptical, questioning whether Mahomes was getting preferential treatment when it came to personal foul calls. Now, the NFL has released data they claim debunks these accusations—providing a statistical breakdown that suggests no clear link between a quarterback’s star status and officiating bias.
What Does the Data Show?
The NFL’s Football Operations Department compiled a dataset analyzing “Fouls Drawn per 100 Hits”—a metric that examines how often quarterbacks benefited from a personal foul (such as roughing the passer or unnecessary roughness) per 100 hits taken.
The study included every quarterback who started multiple games last season—including backups like Cooper Rush of the Dallas Cowboys and Jameis Winston of the Cleveland Browns, who both stepped in for injured starters.
The biggest revelation? Patrick Mahomes was far from the most protected quarterback in the league.
- Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) led the NFL, drawing 7.32 personal foul calls per 100 hits—far ahead of anyone else.
- Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) led all playoff quarterbacks in fouls drawn per 100 hits.
- Mahomes ranked 8th overall, drawing 3.53 personal fouls per 100 hits, making him only the fourth most-protected QB among playoff teams.
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The “Rigging” Controversy and the NFL’s Response
While one statistic alone doesn’t entirely dismiss claims of bias, the data does undermine the narrative that referees are consistently favoring Mahomes and the Chiefs.
The “rigging” debate has been a major headache for NFL officiating crews, particularly in games involving Kansas City.
As accusations mounted, key league figures publicly defended the integrity of officiating:
- NFL Referees Association Executive Director Scott Green called the allegations “insulting” in the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked directly about the claims and dismissed them as “ridiculous.”
Despite the league’s stance, fans have pointed to several questionable calls throughout the season—including critical penalty flags in crucial moments—as evidence that Mahomes and the Chiefs received favorable treatment.
But the new data challenges that perception, at least when it comes to personal foul penalties on quarterbacks.
Which QBs Received the Least Protection?
Interestingly, the data also revealed which quarterbacks received the fewest personal foul calls per 100 hits.
Four QBs finished tied for last with an average of 0.0 fouls per 100 hits—meaning they never benefited from a single personal foul call despite taking significant contact:
- Derek Carr (New Orleans Saints)
- C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans) – The rookie phenom led the Texans to a playoff appearance but received zero personal foul calls in his favor.
- Bo Nix (Denver Broncos) – Another young QB left unprotected by officiating.
- Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) – The Super Bowl MVP, who led the Eagles to a dominant win over Mahomes and the Chiefs, also received zero personal fouls per 100 hits.
This raises more questions than answers. Why did some quarterbacks consistently draw personal fouls, while others—including young stars like Stroud and Hurts—received none at all?
If referees were truly biased toward star QBs, wouldn’t Hurts, a recent Super Bowl MVP, receive the same treatment as Mahomes?
Does This End the Debate?
While the NFL hopes this data puts an end to the rigging accusations, fans are unlikely to completely drop the narrative anytime soon.
There are still other factors that fuel the controversy:
- Situational Officiating – Do Mahomes and the Chiefs get critical calls in key moments rather than across the entire game?
- Subjective Calls – Pass interference, holding, and roughing the passer are often judgment calls—making it hard to quantify bias solely through numbers.
- Perception vs. Reality – High-profile teams like the Chiefs are under a microscope, meaning every questionable call feels amplified.
At the very least, the new data challenges the idea that referees are outright rigging games for Mahomes. However, it also raises new concerns about how personal foul penalties are distributed across the league—and why some quarterbacks appear to be getting little to no protection at all.
Whether this quietly puts the debate to rest or just adds fuel to the fire, one thing is certain—the controversy surrounding NFL officiating is far from over.
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