Former Titans star DeAndre Hopkins calls out double standard in the NFL after Chiefs get blown out in Super Bowl LIX by Eagles
NASHVILLE – Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins played in the first Super Bowl of his career on Sunday after being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 season. Hopkins has dealt with years of bad quarterback play and mediocre teams despite being one of the best wide receivers in the sport. […]
NASHVILLE – Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins played in the first Super Bowl of his career on Sunday after being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2024 season.
Hopkins has dealt with years of bad quarterback play and mediocre teams despite being one of the best wide receivers in the sport.
But after years of waiting, things didn't go as Hopkins would have hoped. The Chiefs were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday night. Hopkins finished with two catches and a touchdown. It was not his best game by any means.
During postgame media availability, Hopkins called out what he perceived to be a double standard that followed the Chiefs throughout the entire NFL season. We hear so much about how often Kansas City benefits from officiating. It feels like every big game, there is a big and controversial call that goes the Chiefs' way. That didn't really happen on Sunday and Hopkins wants everyone to have the same standard for the refs when the calls are going against KC.
"I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs. What y'all gonna say now about the refs and us when there was a lot of touchy calls? Are y'all going to report that? Are y'all going to talk about the refs now?," asked Hopkins during his media availability.
Bad calls go against Chiefs
I can agree with Hopkins that the Super Bowl was not a well officiated game. A lot of calls went against Kansas City that I disagreed with. Call it soft, ticky-tack, touchy, whatever you want. There were multiple flags thrown for unnecessary roughness that were just flat out wrong.
One of them led to a Jalen Hurts rushing touchdown when the Eagles would have been otherwise forced to punt.
I have been as vocal as anyone about the preferential treatment the Chiefs seem to get in big playoff games. I can also admit that it swung the other way during Super Bowl LIX…But that being said, this is not something Hopkins should be saying after such a lopsided loss.
Why the Chiefs lost
You could reverse every penalty called against the Chiefs during that game and they are still losing by a wide margin. Kansas City lost because they turned the ball over three times from inside their own 30.
Mahomes threw an interception to Cooper DeJean which was returned for a touchdown, threw another interception to Zack Baun that set up Philly for a quick score from the KC 14, and fumbled after a sack in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City lost because they botched some massive opportunities. Hopkins dropped a pass on 3rd down right before halftime that could have gone for a gain of 30+ yards and maybe even a long touchdown. That would have changed the tone of the game and made the score 24-7 before halftime. It's moments like those that can snowball on you. Next thing you know, it's 34-0 in the second half.
I get what Hopkins was going for. He's standing up for his teammates who have been subjected to question about the referees all season long. But he probably needs to read the room and leave this one unsaid. Talking about the refs after a game like that sounds like a complaint. It sounds like an excuse. That's not what you want that story to be after what was potentially the final game of your Hall of Fame career.
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