Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins shared his thoughts on the officiating during Super Bowl LIX following the team’s 40-22 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Early in the game, two penalties sparked significant discussion on social media: an offensive pass interference call against Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and an unnecessary roughness penalty on Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie for a hit on Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert.
“This is my first year with the Chiefs, and I’ve seen a lot of media coverage about the referees, but what will you say now about the refs and us?” Hopkins remarked to reporters. “There were many questionable calls. Will you report on that? Will you discuss the officiating now?”
In the game, Hopkins recorded two receptions on five targets for 18 yards and a touchdown, although he also had a significant drop after slipping during his route, missing an opportunity for a potentially game-changing play.
The night was challenging for the Chiefs, who managed just 275 total yards on 49 plays, with some additional yardage gained in the second half after the Eagles extended their lead to 40-6. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 21 of 32 passes for 257 yards, throwing three touchdown passes but also recording two interceptions and a fumble.
As the offseason approaches, the Chiefs will need to regroup and strategize for the future.