NFL admits officials made a mistake allowing Chiefs timeout in season opener

Referees granted timeout that confused everyone

The NFL has admitted that the referees made a mistake by allowing the Kansas City Chiefs to take a timeout in the final seconds of their season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

With the Chiefs trailing 34-31 and just 3 seconds remaining on the clock, quarterback Patrick Mahomes appeared to spike the ball to stop the clock. However, the referees ruled that Mahomes had called a timeout instead.

The Chiefs went on to kick a field goal to send the game to overtime, before eventually losing 34-26.

'Can't do that'

The NFL's vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino, said that the referees made a mistake by allowing the Chiefs to take a timeout.

"The rule is, you can't call a timeout after the ball has been spiked," Blandino said. "It's a basic rule that our officials should know."

Blandino said that the referees will be reviewing the play and that they will be taking steps to ensure that a similar mistake does not happen again.

How the mistake happened

It is unclear how the referees made the mistake. One possibility is that they were confused by the noise in the stadium.

Another possibility is that they simply did not see Mahomes spike the ball.

Whatever the reason, the mistake has led to widespread criticism of the NFL's officiating.

Impact of the mistake

The mistake has had a significant impact on the Chiefs' season.

The Chiefs are now 0-1 on the season and they face an uphill battle to make the playoffs.

The mistake has also raised questions about the competence of the NFL's officiating.