"Chiefs must be paying the refs": Sauce Gardner's holding call to let Patrick Mahomes off has NFL fans bashing referees

Patrick Mahomes's Kansas City Chiefs defeated Sauce Gardner's New York Jets on Sunday Night Football. What was expected to be a blowout turned out to be a close affair. Kansas City won 23-20 to improve to 3-1, whereas the home team fell to 1-3.

But that does not tell the entire story of the game. By the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs were ahead 17-0. The Jets methodically came back, tying the proceedings in the third quarter at 20-20. In the fourth quarter, Kansas City scored a field goal to go ahead 23-20, which was the final score.

However, in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were facing a 3rd-and-20. Patrick Mahomes threw a pass that was picked off. It would have been his third interception of the game. That would have given the ball to the Jets with time remaining to go ahead and win the game.

Instead, Sauce Gardner was called for holding that gave the Chiefs an automatic first down. It also allowed them to close out the game.

NFL fans, many of whom are still seething due to a similarly soft call against the Philadelphia Eagles in last season's Super Bowl, accused referees of favoring the Chiefs with their calls. They took to X, formerly Twitter, to vent their frustrations. Here are some of the best responses.

Sauce Gardner and Jets left cursing their luck

Despite the refereeing call, the Jets had enough chances to win against the Chiefs. Before the field goal that won it for Kansas City, C.J. Mosley dropped what could have been an interception from Patrick Mahomes. Zach Wilson's fumble also turned possession over and led to the Chiefs' final drive. The Jets had missed a field goal of their own earlier in the game.

Robert Saleh vents against the referees after Patrick Mahomes closes out game

Jets head coach Robert Saleh was having none of it. Generally a very composed person, he lost his temper with the officiating crew by the time the game ended. He went ballistic as the Chiefs lined up in the victory formation. It was enough to run the clock down and end the game as he was penalized.

In a game where Zach Wilson outplayed Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs still ran out winners. Robert Saleh felt that he was hard done by, but it was not just the referees, but also some missed opportunities by his own players that contributed to their downfall.