Travis Kelce fined for taunting Bills on Patrick Mahomes touchdown after not being penalized during game

Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce was fined $11,255 for taunting during Sunday's AFC title crippled triumph implicit the Buffalo Bills, the league announced Saturday. 

The taunt that prompted the good came aft a touchdown tally by Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes successful the last 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter. Kelce approached Bills safeties Damar Hamlin and Cole Bishop, aggressively nodding his caput arsenic helium said something. 

Multiple referees were lasting adjacent Kelce astatine the clip of the taunt. But nary of them threw a emblem for unsportsmanlike conduct, which would person outgo the Chiefs 15 yards aft the play, either connected the other constituent effort oregon the ensuing kickoff. 

However, the referees did propulsion a 15-yard unnecessary roughness punishment connected Bills antiaircraft tackle Jordan Phillips aft helium responded to Kelce's taunt by headbutting the choky end. 

SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts aft a touchdown during the 2nd 4th successful the AFC title crippled astatine GEHA Field astatine Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, successful Kansas City, Mo. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Phillips was besides fined $6,722 for the headbutt, the league announced Saturday.  

The Chiefs won the game, 32-29, and galore fans expressed outrage implicit aggregate calls that benefited Kansas City during the game. 

Officials ruled Bills backmost Josh Allen was stopped abbreviated of a archetypal down connected a 4th-and-short play successful the 4th quarter. CBS rules expert Gene Steratore said during the broadcast helium believed Allen got the archetypal down.

That telephone prompted backlash from NFL fans connected societal media, but it was not the lone one.

During the 2nd quarter, officials ruled Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy made a drawback contempt video replay showing the shot touched the ground. 

HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

Tight extremity Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts to information Damar Hamlin (3) of the Buffalo Bills during the archetypal fractional of the AFC title crippled astatine GEHA Field astatine Arrowhead Stadium Jan. 26, 2025, successful Kansas City, Mo.  (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Referees came nether akin scrutiny during the Chiefs' divisional circular playoff triumph against the Houston Texans 1 week earlier erstwhile a brace of roughing the passer penalties were called against the Texans for hits connected Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes. 

Houston borderline rusher Will Anderson Jr. was called for roughing the passer connected a 3rd down successful the archetypal quarter. Anderson appeared to propulsion Mahomes successful the thorax aft Mahomes had thrown the shot incomplete to choky extremity Travis Kelce and was flagged.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The 2nd punishment came during a Mahomes scramble successful the 3rd quarter. He had 2 blockers connected a tally and 3 defenders bearing down connected him. He moved to his close and past backmost to his near erstwhile helium decided to slide. 

ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman criticized the punishment and said it's thing the league has to code successful the offseason. 

Texans players and caput manager DeMeco Ryans criticized the referees aft the game.

Super Bowl LIX volition beryllium streamed connected Tubi. (Tubi)

Mahomes addressed the contented erstwhile asked by reporters Wednesday if helium believed referees were giving him preferential treatment. 

"I don't consciousness that way,'' Mahomes answered. "At the extremity of the day, the referees are doing their champion to telephone the crippled arsenic just and arsenic due arsenic they perchance can. And each you tin bash is spell retired determination and play the crippled that you emotion arsenic hard arsenic you tin and unrecorded with the results. ... I deliberation that's what we preach present successful Kansas City.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Kansas City Chiefs choky extremity Travis Kelce (87) and backmost Patrick Mahomes (15) hold to pb the squad onto the tract earlier a preseason crippled against the Jacksonville Jaguars Aug. 10, 2024, successful Jacksonville, Fla.  (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

"You get caller referees each year. You get caller circumstances, and you ne'er tin truly archer due to the fact that each play's different. And that's what makes the NFL truthful special. I consciousness similar I've conscionable continued to play the game, and I conscionable effort to win. And immoderate happens benignant of happens."

Kelce refused to code the contented erstwhile asked by member Jason Kelce astir the officiating during an occurrence of their "New Heights" podcast. 

"I'd similar to plead the Fifth," the choky extremity said, jokingly referring to his law close to stay silent, erstwhile Jason brought up the issue. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.