Chiefs’ Andy Reid: Kadarius Toney Didn’t Check Alignment with Ref Prior to Penalty

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters on Monday that wideout Kadarius Toney didn’t check his alignment with the official before he was called for an offsides penalty that wiped out what would have been a go-ahead touchdown in Sunday’s 20-17 loss against the Buffalo Bills.

Both Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes were incredibly critical of the decision to call the penalty following the game.

“I’ve played seven years (and) never had offensive offside called,” Mahomes told reporters. “That’s elementary school (stuff) we’re talking about. There was no warning throughout the entire game. Then you wait until there’s a minute left in the game to make a call like that? It’s tough. Lost for words. It’s tough. Regardless if we win or lose, just the end of another game and we’re talking about the refs. It’s just not what we want for the NFL and for football.”

The star quarterback, who generally keeps a more composed and jovial demeanor, was irate both on the sidelines and during the postgame handshakes between players and coaches.

He wasn’t alone in his frustrations.

“Very disappointed that it ended the way it did,” Reid added in his postgame presser. “Normally I’ll get—I never use any of this as excuses, but normally I get a warning before something like that happens in a big game. (It’s) a bit embarrassing in the National Football League for that to take place.”

Generally in the NFL, wideouts will check with the officials to make sure they are properly aligned—either on the ball or off the ball—and aren’t in the neutral zone, which Toney clearly was. Often, officials will give a player or coach a warning if an alignment is off.

Referee Carl Cheffers said in the pool report, however, that down judge Mike Carr saw Toney lined up so far offsides that he couldn’t even see the ball.

“Ultimately, they are responsible for wherever they line up,” he said. “No warning is required, especially if they are lined up so far offsides where they’re actually blocking our view of the ball. We would give them a warning if it was anywhere close, but this particular one is beyond a warning.”

In other words, the buck stops with Toney, who has had a mistake-riddled and drop-heavy season for the Chiefs. Kansas City also had three more chances to get a first down after the penalty, needing only a field goal to force overtime, and couldn’t capitalize. Either way you slice it, a blown opportunity for the Chiefs.