Chiefs LB Drue Tranquill: "Take all that 'ref' talk and kick rocks"

The Chiefs have heard the talk about the officials helping them win. And one of them doesn't want to hear any more of it.

Tweeted linebacker Drue Tranquill after Sunday night's win over the Bills that sent the Chiefs to their fifth Super Bowl in six years: "Shoutout to the [Buffalo Bills] .. heck of a battle. The rest of y’all can take all that ‘ref’ talk & kick rocks. We stand on business!!"

Talk of the NFL and its officials having a Chiefs bias has reached a fever pitch in the current postseason. Fans of Kansas City's opponents — and the growing throng of neutrals who are developing an acute case of Chiefs fatigue — have been arguing that the games are being rigged for the Chiefs.

My own position is simple. First, the NFL doesn't rig games. Second, subconscious bias from officials who understand the connection between star players and big ratings possibly creeps into the stew of factors that result in a flag being thrown, or not thrown. Throw in the fact that the rulebook expressly requires roughing-the-passer calls to be made even when there's doubt in the mind of officials and, yes, certain players from certain teams could be getting calls that others don't.

That hasn't stopped some from trying to find evidence of potential bias — and from such efforts receiving blowback. From former Chiefs players. From others in the media. And from a convenience store chain.

None of this changes the narrative. It doesn't help that two hits on quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the divisional round game that drew flags didn’t result in fines. It also doesn't help that the NFL's imperfect protocol for spotting the ball potentially robbed the Bills of a key conversion on fourth and short with the game in the balance.

But think of it this way. If there was some sort of conspiracy aimed at helping the Chiefs, the league would have covered its tracks by issuing fines for the plays that drew flags. (The players could then appeal and win — but well after the confetti had fallen at Super Bowl LIX.) Also, the NFL would have potentially gotten word to CBS about the sensitivity of saying anything during the AFC Championship broadcast that would feed the trolls.

Regardless, perception can become reality. The perception is out there. Even if there's an enormous gulf between what people are saying and what's actually going on.