
After the Kansas City Chiefs’ 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins expressed frustration that the controversy over his team being supposedly favored by NFL officials is suddenly quiet after their defeat.
#Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins: “I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs. … There were a lot of touchy calls. Are ya’ll gonna report that? Are ya’ll gonna talk about the refs now?”
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 10, 2025
More News: Chiefs vs Eagles: Every NFL Record Broken at Super Bowl LIX
Earlier in the game, social media buzzed over two key calls: an offensive pass interference penalty on Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, and an unnecessary roughness call on Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie for his hit on tight end Dallas Goedert.
Hopkins, in his first season with the Chiefs, didn’t hold back when addressing the officiating narrative, which had been heavily discussed in the media before the game.
Heading into the game, a recurring topic among fans and analysts was the notion that referees were biased in favor of the Chiefs.
“It’s my first year being with the Chiefs and I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs, but what are you all going to say now about the refs and us?” he said to reporters. “There was a lot of touchy calls. Are you going to report that? Are you going to talk about the refs now?”

Photo by Matt Kelley/Getty Images
Despite his own frustrations, Hopkins had a mixed performance, recording two catches on five targets for 18 yards and a touchdown. However, a significant drop—after slipping on his route—could have potentially led to a big gain and possibly shifted momentum in the Chiefs’ favor.
As a whole, the Chiefs’ offense struggled, posting just 275 total yards on 49 plays. Most of their yards came late in the game when the Eagles had already established a commanding 40-6 lead.
The Chiefs’ penalty count wasn’t significantly different from the Eagles’. The Eagles were called for eight penalties totaling 59 yards, while the Chiefs were penalized seven times for 75 yards.
A notable penalty early in the game came when the Eagles faced a crucial fourth down. Jalen Hurts threw a 32-yard pass to A.J. Brown, but the play was nullified due to an offensive pass interference penalty on Brown.
This decision was met with criticism from Fox analyst Tom Brady, who said, “Don’t like that one bit. This is too critical of a game… the hand fighting’s going on down that field.”
In contrast, the Chiefs also found themselves on the receiving end of a controversial call when linebacker Nick Bolton was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a play involving Saquon Barkley.
Brady again voiced his displeasure with the penalty, stating, “Not much there.”
While the calls sparked debate, it’s hard to attribute the Chiefs’ loss to the officiating alone. The Eagles outplayed Kansas City in almost every aspect of the game, and despite Hopkins’ frustrations, the Chiefs will have to look inward as they regroup from their 18-point defeat.
More News:
Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Chiefs Losing Super Bowl LIX
Nick Foles Takes Major Shot at Tom Brady Following Eagles Super Bowl Win
For more on the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.