The Kansas City Chiefs’ journey to the Super Bowl has been mired in controversy. During the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills, these controversies reached a new height.
Fans had been calling out the NFL for its biased officiating throughout the Chiefs’ postseason run. Now, former vice president of the Green Bay Packers, Andrew Brandt, sheds light on this issue from a different angle.
Andrew Brandt Highlights His Concerns With the NFL After Chiefs vs. Bills Game
Fans and analysts disagreed with several calls in the Chiefs’ last game. The most controversial moment in the AFC Championship occurred when the Bills attempted a “Tush Push” on fourth-and-1 at the 41-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
NFL officials determined that quarterback Josh Allen had not reached the first-down marker. This call was highly debated and became a significant turning point in the game.
Brandt, a former Packers vice president of player finance and general counsel, aimed at the NFL from a financial standpoint on this issue. He appeared on the “Ross Tucker Podcast” and questioned the financial integrity of the NFL.
“We have a $24 billion business in the year of our Lord 2025,” he said. “This business is measuring first downs in the highest leverage moment of the season by two side judges running in from 25 yards away and not agreeing on where it should be done.”
"We have a $24 billion business in the year of our Lord 2025. This business. Is measuring first downs in the highest leverage moment of the season, by two side judges running in from 25 yards away and not agreeing on where it should be down."@AndrewBrandt on this week's… pic.twitter.com/NbjPSDhISw
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) January 28, 2025
He then called out the archaic methods that the NFL officials have at their disposal to conclude a contentious call.
“This is the league with the highest revenues in the history of the world,” added Brandt. “This is the league with the most popularity in the history of the world. This is the league with the most profitability in the history of the world.”
“This is the league with the biggest media contracts in the history of the world. This is the league with the biggest franchise value prices in the history of the world. This is a league that’s cherished mantra is integrity of the game. How do we not have better technology on replay, especially for line-to-gain?”
Brandt isn’t the only one who has criticized the NFL and its officials after the Chiefs’ controversial win. Fans, ex-players, and analysts alike have labeled the NFL as a rigged system working for its biggest superstars.
