NEW ORLEANS – Mike Pereira headed to the chair waiting for him in the convention center meeting room as he began laughing at the media crowd waiting for him on Thursday.
“Why are you guys here?” said Pereira, a former NFL umpire who will become Fox's rules analyst at Super Bowl 2025 on Sunday. “I have nothing to talk about. I know something is wrong.”
What's wrong for the NFL is one of the biggest stories surrounding Sunday's game, the officials and how they call the game.
There is a broad belief that references show goodwill towards the chief. There are statistics showing that there are fewer flags in recent playoffs than their opponents. During the run of this playoff there were suspicious penalty calls and a volatile fourth measurement.
It all leads to stories that the public seems unable to get enough, and the NFL just wants to disappear. Will the Eagles play Chief and Officials on Sunday?
“[It’s] NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously this week.
Goodell could call it ridiculous, but the theory only gets steam later in the game, especially if the Chiefs are the beneficiaries of Sunday's suspicious flag. The NFL hopes that Judge Ron Torbert is not a bigger star than Saquon Berkley coming on Monday morning.
Pereira, who hosted the NFL from 1998 to 2010, said: “They know they're under pressure.”
Pereira was speaking at an event held by Fox for the media featuring analysts. The room was a Hall of Fame, Super Bowl MVP and Super Bowl Awards coach. However, Pereira and fellow host analyst Dean Brandino had a considerable crowd waiting to ask Patrick Mahomes if he would win a friendly flag.
Pereira dismissed the idea as a “myth.” He compared it to the idea that the judge would make a “makeup call.” Perriera said they can be well graded and progressed to the playoffs and Super Bowl as all civil servants are trying to get all their calls right. Pereira said authorities must adhere to overloading this storyline.
“I think we'll put more pressure on officials on Sunday,” Perriera said. “They don't intend to host the game differently, but they know they'll enter the game as part of the story, and that doesn't usually happen.”
Conspiracy Theory won steam after the Chiefs beat the Texans in the AFC division. The penalties for passers-by and unnecessary roughness for Texans, which were questionable calls, were ravaged.
In the AFC Championship Game, Bills quarterback Joshu Allen may have run short on his fourth quarterback sneak and scored his first down.
Now the Chiefs are facing the Eagles. The Eagles are a questionable defensive retention against Philadelphia cornerback James Bradbury, the team they won two years ago and who set the game-winning field goal.
“We know they're great,” Sirius' radio host Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo said this week. “We know [Andy Reid’s] With a great coach [has] A great quarterback. I'm not saying that's why they're winning because they're not winning, but don't say they're not blowing whis because they do. ”
There are different levels of conspiracy theories when it comes to chiefs.
I believe the NFL wants to make the Chief successful. Because it's good for business with luxury suites and Patrick Mahomes' Taylor Swift as the face of football.
Others don't believe it's doing that deep. But that means Mahomes and Reid are calling for greatness like other stars of the past. Russo falls into this category.
“I want to tell him he got the call because he's Mahomes and Andy Reed,” Russo said.[Michael] Jordan called, [Wayne] Greetzky made a call, Barry Bonds got a strike zone call, [Greg] Maddux got a pitch near a plate called Strikes, Lebron [James]there is no debate. But don't sit there and tell them that this doesn't exist. ”
Warren Sharp, who performs statistical analysis, posted something about how the Chief Sprayoff Game was called before the AFC Championship Game.
In 11 playoff games starting in 2021, the Chiefs never penalised more than their opponents until the divisional round. This trend continued in the AFC title game when the bill had six penalties and the Chiefs had five penalties.
The Chief has imposed 41 penalties in the last 12 playoff games, with opponents winning 72. Opponents were also required to act more defensively passing interfering, defensive retention, roughness of passersby, unnecessary roughness and sportsman-like behavior.
Scott Green, executive director of the NFL Judges Association, issued a statement this week saying these theories were not based on reality.
“The host crew doesn't work on the same team every regular season,” Green said. “To hear the conspiracy theory that 17 hosts, consisting of 138 staff, are conspiring to support one team is both humiliating and ridiculous.”
Green and Goodell can scoff at the idea of the plot, but they don't intend to convince many that the chiefs are not benefiting from the judiciary.
Pereira said the league has been accused of always supporting some teams and opposing others, but social media amplifies those claims.
“A lot of these theories happen on social media and you get a lot of life,” Goodell said. “I think it reflects a lot of the passion that our fans have.”
Super Bowl Week brought another layer to the host's story. There are hundreds of qualified media members here, as well as many media members who are not part of traditional media. Some are simply trying to create a viral moment.
At the press conference and part of the variety show, “Opening Night,” there were questions about trying to win the rise from the Chief Sprayer.
“Patrick, for your entire career, you helped you win,” asked Mahomes. “So, who is your favorite ref?”
“It's hilarious,” Mahomes said. “All the references are great, guys. All the references are great. They do their best they can. We'll get out there and play the game the right way.”
“Are there any Christmas cards probably given?” I got a follow-up question.
“I don't remember,” Mahomes said. “You have to ask your teammates to figure it out.”
Travisquerse also got one.
“Travis, do you like it more: Will Taylor Swift or the Phantom 15 yards troll passerby penalties in the playoffs?”
“That's a good question,” said Kels, annoyed. “Someone else?”
Kelce himself nurtured Reference when a child reporter asked him what he wanted to ask the media.
“Why are you guys leaning towards the whole thing about this ref?” asked Kelse.
The question is whether the story will gain momentum after Sunday's match if the Chief wins after a suspicious host decision, or if it disappears.
Reed said he was not worried that officials would overqualify for the story and would not call the chief.
“I don't think you'll care what officials are saying,” Reed said. “They're doing their job, they're putting their capabilities to their full potential. They don't like either side, it's not how this goes. It's a good story. But that's not the reality of how it works. You'll insult them as you think it's what they're doing. They go out and they see it I'm calling it like that. As a coach, I'm sitting there and saying, “I don't agree with it.” There are a few things I agree with. It's what happens. ”
Reed then added what everyone is thinking this week. “That's a good story.”
