The Kansas City Chiefs' opening win of the 2026 season against the Denver Broncos has been met with a wave of refereeing conspiracy theories, with some social media users claiming the NFL is rigged in favor of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs secured a dominant victory, but controversy arose after a touchdown rush by Mahomes in the first quarter.
Allegations surfaced that officials missed a holding call on Kelce during the scoring play. These claims quickly spread across social media platforms, with former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe and commentator Skip Bayless voicing their skepticism about the officiating. Numerous fans echoed these sentiments, with some posting that "the amount of holding they let Chiefs get away with is mind boggling" and others stating "death, taxes, and the chiefs not being called for holding."
This is not the first time the Chiefs have been at the center of such accusations. In January 2025, during a playoff game against the Houston Texans, fans expressed anger over what they perceived as soft penalties called against Mahomes. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith even suggested that the star power of Mahomes and Kelce's relationship with Taylor Swift could potentially influence officiating decisions, though he acknowledged there was no direct evidence of intentional rigging.
Despite the online speculation, there is no evidence to suggest that the NFL or its officials have rigged games in favor of the Chiefs. The team is aiming to return to the Super Bowl after missing the playoffs in the 2025 season, their first such occurrence since 2014. The game also saw Taylor Swift in attendance, seated with actor Tom Cruise.