Chiefs penalties: Why narrative that referees favor Kansas City has been proven false in 2025

Changes are a-comin' for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025.

After years of dominating almost every aspect of the game of football — from the complexities of offense to the verve of Kansas City's defense to the steady nature of the Chiefs' special teams unit — Kansas City is facing a crisis it hasn't dealt with since head coach Andy Reid joined the ranks in 2013.

Losses have already piled up at Arrowhead Stadium. And although some performances have been competitive, Kansas City doesn't appear nearly as efficient as it was in its pomp.

Few things reflect that regression more than the Chiefs' inability to restrict penalties. Kansas City has struggled to maintain its composure in hostile environments, especially when it falls behind.

With that, here's a look at the Chiefs' penalty numbers in 2025 — and how they compare to the side's previous marks.

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Chiefs penalties 2025

The Chiefs have long been renowned for their discipline, routinely showing up on the right end of the table in terms of penalties called during Andy Reid's tenure.

That hasn't been the case in 2025. Kansas City has picked up more flags than most so far.

Through five games, the Chiefs have conceded 42 penalties. By comparison, their opponents have surrendered just 29 flags this season, giving Kansas City a flag deficit of 13. That's the second-worst mark in the league, only bested by the Chicago Bears with 14.

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A look at the whistles that have soundtracked the Chiefs' games thus far reveals a few telling numbers. The Chiefs have surrendered 350 yards of territory as a result of their impulsivity, the sixth-highest tally in the NFL.

Just 11 of Kansas City's penalties have come at Arrowhead Stadium. That's only four more than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are the league's least-penalized side.

Road matchups have been a different story. With 31 canaries released during the Chiefs' road matchups, Kansas City is the league's least-disciplined team away from home.

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Some of those penalties have proven decisive, too. The Chiefs committed 13 penalties in their 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, conceding 109 yards of lost yardage in the process. The final few flags were especially notable.

Harrison Butker's kickoff spun wide ahead of Jacksonville's final drive, placing the Jaguars on their own 40 to start their two-minute drill. With 38 seconds left, the Chiefs looked to have plucked an errant Trevor Lawrence throw from the sky. The play was summarily called back due to a defensive holding penalty.

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Lawrence found pay dirt on the very next play. Kansas City's comeback was then felled by a holding call on the kickoff, putting the Chiefs behind the eight-ball as they attempted to pull off the miracle. Predictably, they fell short. 

Do referees favor the Chiefs?

Many onlookers believe Kansas City gets preferential treatment from officiating. The theory proved prevalent enough that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was forced to dismiss the notion while speaking to reporters ahead of Super Bowl 59.

"That's a ridiculous theory, for anyone who might take it seriously," Goodell said. “It reflects a lot of the fans’ passion, and I think it also is a reminder for us how important officiating is. And I think the men and women that officiate in the NFL are outstanding."

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Let's not get it twisted; the Chiefs have benefited from their fair share of dubious calls. In 2024 alone, Kansas City was aided by a handful of ticky-tacky calls and non-calls, from the Cincinnati Bengals being whistled for a phantom pass interference despite the ball being tipped, to referees signaling for a false start before switching to an illegal shift in Las Vegas' 19-17 defeat.

The Sporting News' Bill Bender assessed that there were seven game-changing calls across six games during the Chiefs' trot to the Super Bowl. All seven calls went in Kansas City's favor, by his estimation.

Now, the Chiefs didn't lead the league in any key penalty categories in 2024. Additionally, they were whistled for 31 offensive holding calls last year — the most in the league.

Nevertheless, perception oftentimes becomes reality. And until that perception falls apart, it will be hard to convince Kansas City's most steadfast detractors of a league-wide, pro-Chiefs conspiracy.

NFL penalty leaders 2025

Here's a look at the 10 sides who lead the league in penalties conceded. All stats come from NFL Penalties.