Bills fans outraged after video shows repeated bad spots vs Chiefs

A viral clip reveals how the refs repeatedly moved the Bills back on key plays. Was Buffalo battling the Chiefs and the officials?

Kilty Cleary | Jan 30, 2025

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) reacts after a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills' season may have ended in heartbreak with a 32-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, but the conversation hasn’t stopped there. Instead of discussing Josh Allen’s performance or Patrick Mahomes’ clutch moments, fans, analysts, and even GM Brandon Beane are locked in on something else entirely—the officiating.

If you’ve been on social media since Sunday, you’ve likely seen the now-viral five-minute breakdown video that has Bills fans and football purists fuming. The clip, which is making its rounds across social and beyond, showcases a series of questionable (to put it mildly) officiating decisions that seemed to push Buffalo further and further behind the sticks.

If u haven’t seen this video u probably should. Just shows how rigged the nfl is. pic.twitter.com/wQ8CD29ymj
— Thekid (@plaque12_) January 29, 2025

Wait… How Did That First Down Disappear?

One of the biggest takeaways from the video? The mysterious vanishing first downs.

Even Jim Nantz and Tony Romo were calling plays as first downs in real-time, only for the referees to gather, huddle up, and suddenly mark the ball short—sometimes way shorter than where the play originally ended. Over and over again, the Bills appeared to have done enough to move the chains, but somehow, after a quick discussion with the officiating crew, the spot was changed.

At one point in the viral clip, the creator even calls out that this is the fifth time the Bills had the spot adjusted or a close first down ruled short. Five times in one game? That’s enough to make even the most level-headed fans start asking questions.

The Picked-Up Flag on 4th Down

If Bills fans weren’t already frustrated, the final play of the game added even more fuel to the fire.

On 4th down, Allen threw a pass to Dalton Kincaid, but it was dropped. The flag was thrown immediately, seemingly indicating defensive pass interference—a potential game-changing call.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) drops a pass in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

But wait… the flag mysteriously disappeared.

The officiating crew decided to pick it up, claiming there was no foul on the play. But the question on everyone’s mind is this: If Kincaid had caught the ball, would the penalty have stood?

It’s a moment that has Bills fans—and a lot of NFL fans, for that matter—scratching their heads.

The Bigger Problem: Part-Time Officials in a Billion-Dollar League

It’s not just Buffalo fans who are upset. The NFL is a multi-billion-dollar operation, yet its referees are not full-time employees. It’s been a long-running discussion in the league—why doesn’t the NFL have full-time officiating crews when so much is at stake?

For Bills fans, the frustration isn’t just about one game. It’s about the feeling that they weren’t just playing the Chiefs—they were playing the refs too. And in a game of this magnitude, those questionable calls stung even more.

Bills Fans Have Every Right to Be Upset

While nothing can change the outcome of Sunday’s game, Bills fans can at least take some solace in knowing that they weren’t alone in their frustrations. The entire football world saw it—and this viral video only adds more evidence to the growing concerns about NFL officiating.