Roger Goodell slams ‘ridiculous’ Chiefs-officiating conspiracy theory

NEW ORLEANS — Roger Goodell has a word for the popular conspiracy theory that the Chiefs are getting favorable calls from NFL officials in order to make sure their Patrick Mahomes-, Travis Kelce-, Taylor Swift-fueled dynasty keeps winning. 

“That’s a ridiculous theory,” the NFL commissioner said Monday at his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference, “for anyone who might take it seriously.” 

The two-time defending champion Chiefs have been called for five combined defensive holding, roughing the passer and unnecessary roughness penalties over the past four postseasons, according to Sharp Football Analysis.

Their opponents in those games have been flagged for 22 of those same big-yardage penalties. Moreover, the Chiefs have been called for 41 cumulative penalties to the opponents’ 71. 

4

“This sort of reminds me a little bit of the script, right? That I write the script and have the script for the entire season,” Goodell quipped, mocking a past conspiracy theory. 

“A lot of those theories are things that happen on social media and they get a new life. Nobody wants it to be their theory. I understand it. It reflects a lot of the fans’ passion. It also is a reminder for us how important officiating is.” 

Goodell used the Chiefs’ 11 one-score wins in 2024 as proof of competitive balance rather than seeing it through the lens that the same team keeps catching all the decisive breaks.

He doesn’t think that flopping to draw flags — a tactic often associated with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — is a serious enough issue for his attention, deferring to the Competition Committee. 

4

Here are other noteworthy developments: 

1. 18-game season coming soon? 

The NFL is pushing to increase the regular-season schedule from 17 to 18 games and drop a preseason game. 

Goodell said that there have been “information conversations” between himself and Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell Jr., but “there’s a lot of work to be done.” There is no deadline for a decision. 

4

Goodell pointed to safety advancements — leading to a record-low number of concussions in 2024 despite the addition of 332 more kickoff returns that used to be dead-ball touchbacks — as a reason for optimism. 

“Fans want more football,” he said. 

2. Sham interviews 

Are teams skirting the spirit of the Rooney Rule by setting up box-checking interviews for minorities before hiring a white coach? 

The Patriots interviewed Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton — neither of whom worked in the NFL in 2024 and thus were available for immediate in-person interviews — before hiring Mike Vrabel one week after their season ended. 

The Jaguars brought in Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for a second in-person interview — satisfying the rule — simultaneous to reports leaking that they were targeting Liam Cohen. 

“We speak to [candidates] about the sincerity and the thoroughness of an interview to make sure that we’re doing that in proper fashion,” Goodell said. “I feel comfortable that it’s being done the right way.” 

Goodell said that he had heard concerns from candidates in past years about the legitimacy of an interview and that caused the league to circle back to the team. 

3. Brady Bunch 

Tom Brady is pulling double duty as FOX’s lead in-game analyst — he will be announcing his first Super Bowl — and minority owner in the Raiders. Brady led the Raiders’ coaching search, landing on Pete Carroll. 

4

If that is a conflict of interest or a way to gain a competitive advantage for the G.O.A.T., Goodell — who has had a contentious relationship with Brady due to his issuing the Deflategate suspension in 2016 — doesn’t see it. 

“That’s something we’ll obviously consider in the offseason — should that policy be adjusted?” Goodell said. “Tom has been incredibly cooperative. He calls frequently about it. I think he’s serious about making sure that he separates these two [roles].” 

4. European expansion 

Goodell said the NFL is hoping to play eight international games in 2025, and that 16 international games in a season is “realistic.” How long until one of those games is a Super Bowl? 

“I think one day we will have an international franchise,” Goodell said. “And, if we do, we could have an international Super Bowl.” 

WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason — who is well connected throughout the league — predicted last month that the NFL would have a four-team Europe-based division by 2029.