C. BREAKING NEWS: NFL SUSPENDS Referee Carl Cheffers After Admitting to a COSTLY Mistake in the Chiefs vs. Bills Game — and the League Has Now Issued a PUBLIC APOLOGY! Fans Are Demanding Answers as the Controversy Sends Shockwaves Across the NFL.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: NFL SUSPENDS Referee Carl Cheffers After Admitting to a COSTLY Mistake in the Chiefs vs. Bills Game — and the League Has Now Issued a PUBLIC APOLOGY! Fans Are Demanding Answers as the Controversy Sends Shockwaves Across the NFL. 👇
Kansas City, MO – November 5, 2025
The NFL has officially admitted to a critical officiating mistake that directly impacted the outcome of the Week 9 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills — and has announced a two-game suspension for referee Carl Cheffers, one of the league’s most recognizable officials.
In a statement released Tuesday morning, NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Administration Perry Fewell confirmed that the league reviewed game footage and determined that the intentional grounding penalty called against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was incorrect. The controversial play occurred midway through the third quarter when Mahomes was penalized for throwing the ball without an eligible receiver in the area — a decision that wiped out a key first down and halted Kansas City’s momentum.
However, replays later revealed that Buffalo defensive lineman Michael Hoecht had clearly deflected the ball at the line of scrimmage. According to NFL rules, once a pass is tipped or altered by a defender, intentional grounding cannot be called. Despite this, Cheffers’ crew ruled the play non-reviewable and allowed the penalty to stand, costing Kansas City ten yards and ultimately shifting control of the game to Buffalo.
Following an internal review by the league’s officiating department, Fewell confirmed that the call was a “clear error” and that accountability measures were being taken. “Officiating remains one of the most demanding aspects of our game, but accuracy and accountability are essential,”
Fewell said in the league’s official statement. “After reviewing the play, the crew failed to identify that the pass was tipped by the defense, resulting in an incorrect grounding call. We have taken appropriate action to ensure this standard is upheld moving forward.”
As part of the disciplinary response, referee Carl Cheffers has been suspended for two games and will be ineligible to officiate during Weeks 10 and 11. The NFL confirmed that the decision is final and not subject to appeal, with Cheffers eligible to return to field duties in Week 12.
This rare public admission of error represents one of the strongest disciplinary measures the NFL has issued toward an officiating crew in recent years. The league emphasized that the move is intended to reinforce consistency, transparency, and fairness after several controversial calls across the 2025 season.
For Kansas City, the acknowledgment offers a measure of vindication. The erroneous penalty disrupted what appeared to be a game-turning drive, forcing Mahomes and the Chiefs to punt. Buffalo capitalized on the shift, maintaining control to secure a 27-24 victory at Arrowhead Stadium.
The decision quickly sparked a wave of reaction across social media. Chiefs fans expressed relief that the league had finally recognized a long-standing issue with officiating crews led by Cheffers, while others argued that the league should expand replay review to include tipped-pass verification. Within hours, the hashtag #CheffersSuspended was trending nationwide, reflecting both frustration and cautious optimism that the NFL is finally addressing accountability at the highest level.
While the suspension won’t change the game’s result, it sets a precedent for future officiating reviews — and sends a powerful message that even the league’s most veteran referees are not immune to discipline when errors impact fairness on the field.
