Lions Safety Kerby Joseph Calls Out Patrick Mahomes and Refs After Loss to Chiefs
The Detroit Lions locker room wasn’t short on frustration after Sunday night’s 30-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Detroit’s defense battled all game, yet Kansas City somehow escaped Arrowhead without a single penalty flag. Cue the eyebrow raises from fans, players, and probably Dan Campbell’s coffee mug.
It didn’t take long for Kerby Joseph to voice his irritation online. The Lions safety went to social media after the game and shared a few posts on X, venting his displeasure about what he saw as one-sided officiating. In one post, Joseph reacted to a questionable Travis Kelce catch that appeared close to hitting the turf. In another, he pointed out a play where Kelce looked to get away with a hold during a Chiefs first down drive.
Joseph didn’t stop there. He also posted an image of Patrick Mahomes chatting with a referee, implying the Kansas City quarterback might be a little too friendly with those in stripes. Translation: Joseph wasn’t thrilled about what felt like home-field advantage turned all the way up.
For context, this came after a chippy postgame moment involving Brian Branch, who appeared to snub Mahomes and got into it with JuJu Smith-Schuster. Branch has since been suspended one game for that exchange, adding to Detroit’s emotional fallout from the loss.
Mahomes brushed off the drama, saying his team “plays the game between the whistles” and that the Chiefs would keep their momentum rolling. Easy to say when your stat sheet doesn’t include a single flag.
Now, Joseph’s posts could cost him. As SideLion Report noted, the NFL often takes issue with players calling out officiating publicly, especially when they tie those comments to a specific opponent. The league is expected to review his comments, and a fine could be coming soon.
Whether Joseph pays the price or not, his posts captured what a lot of Lions fans were thinking. It’s hard to beat Mahomes when he’s cooking. It’s harder when it feels like the refs are keeping the kitchen spotless for him.
The Lions will have to cool down and refocus before their next matchup, but it’s clear Sunday night left a mark. If moral victories counted, Detroit would have picked one up resisting the urge to throw a flag of their own.
