Damien Williams claims Chiefs were “cheated” by the referees as Kansas City loses control of AFC West
A disputed late penalty has sparked criticism from the former Super Bowl champion
Damien Williams believes the Kansas City Chiefs were robbed of a crucial victory against the Denver Broncos , with the former Super Bowl-winning running back suggesting that questionable officiating played a decisive role in his old team's latest defeat.
Kansas City surrendered an 11-point fourth-quarter advantage at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, eventually losing 28-24 in a result that allowed Denver to overtake the Chiefs at the top of the AFC West.
However, the most controversial moment arrived in the closing seconds, when Patrick Mahomes appeared to complete a remarkable comeback by finding Rashee Rice for a touchdown from Denver's one-yard line.
Officials instead penalized offensive tackle Jaylon Moore for a false start, wiping out the score before Mahomes was sacked on the final play.
The decision left Kansas City facing consecutive defeats after beginning the season with five straight victories, although Williams believes there were encouraging signs despite the disappointing outcome.
Speaking on The Damien Williams Show, the former Kansas City running back made clear that he was not convinced his old team deserved to lose.
"For me personally, like I said, I took a lot of positivity out of that game, and I'm just ready to keep rolling to see what they've got coming for us," Williams said.
"Because like I said, we lost. I do not feel like we lost. I feel like we got bamboozled, but that's neither here nor there. Referees, but hey, it was a tough one, though."
His frustration echoed concerns raised by Chiefs coach Andy Reid , who questioned the false start decision after the game.
"I didn't see it," Reid told reporters. "That's one man's opinion. I saw him move his head, but I didn't see a false start."
However, replays showed movement from Moore before the snap, making the officials' decision defensible under NFL rules despite disagreement over its severity.
The penalty moved Kansas City back five yards, allowing Denver's pass rush to pressure Mahomes before Malcolm Roach completed the game-ending sack.
Chiefs face bigger problem after losing AFC West lead
The disputed decision was only part of a difficult afternoon for Kansas City, which committed 11 penalties for 105 yards during the divisional contest.
Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns, but the Chiefs failed to score in the fourth quarter after entering the final period with a 24-13 advantage.
Harrison Butker also missed a 54-yard field goal, giving Denver another opportunity to complete its comeback.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix helped engineer the turnaround, with rookie running back Jonah Coleman eventually scoring the touchdown that put Denver ahead.
The victory improved the Broncos ' record to 6-2, while Kansas City slipped to 5-2, surrendering first place in the division midway through the regular season.
Williams remains encouraged by the Chiefs ' performance, but the defeat has placed renewed emphasis on discipline and late-game execution.
Kansas City will attempt to respond against the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium, where another defeat would deepen concerns about its suddenly vulnerable position in the AFC West.
