Patriots Legend Julian Edelman Defends Chiefs Over NFL Ref 'Favoritism'

Legendary New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is "sick" of people complaining about the supposed favoritism the Kansas City Chiefs receive from NFL refs. In a recent appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," Edelman came to the Chiefs' defense ahead of the team going into their third consecutive Super Bowl. More News: Bears Name Coordinators Added to Staff Under New Head Coach Ben Johnson Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl champion, has had enough of the recent claims that the NFL is rigging games to help the Kansas City Chiefs win. With the Chiefs heading to the Super Bowl following a controversial AFC Championship victory over the Buffalo Bills, critics have been vocal about perceived referee bias. Some argue that the NFL is providing Kansas City with a "friendly whistle," but Edelman strongly disagrees with that narrative. Edelman, who experienced similar accusations during the Patriots' dynasty, fired back against the critics. "It's apparent when you're on top, everyone wants to try to bring you down," he said. "It's a bunch of baloney that the league is helping the Kansas City Chiefs. If you've got a problem with it, go beat them." He emphasized that referees cannot control the outcome of the game by pointing out that turnovers, penalties, and missed opportunities are on the team, not the officials. "They can't control that. If you want to beat them, go beat them. Don't talk about it. Be about it," Edelman declared, clearly frustrated by the persistent negative narrative surrounding the Chiefs' success. Edelman also discussed the importance of adapting to how referees are calling the game. He explained that players need to adjust to the officiating early on. "You learn about it during that first part of the game," Edelman said. "If they're calling it tight, you tighten back. If they're not, you just hope they're consistent." As for why Kansas City continues to dominate, Edelman pointed to the team's focus on playing mistake-free football. "It's always the team that makes the least amount of mistakes, and that's what they do," he noted. "They play mistake-free. They play situationally tight, and they lull you to sleep, and they beat you when they need to." These qualities are reminiscent of the Patriots' formula for success, and Edelman has enjoyed watching Kansas City's efficient play style. "A lot of these teams are sloppy — penalties, turnovers, abandoning their run game — that's what gets you beat. Not them. That's you." Looking ahead to the Chiefs' Super Bowl matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, Edelman has strong thoughts on what the Eagles need to do to have a chance. He pointed out that, like the Chiefs, Philly will need to play a nearly flawless game. "You can't go in and think you're going to beat the champs, who are a historically mistake-free team, thinking you can turn the ball over and make mistakes when things get tough," Edelman warned. He recalled Jalen Hurts' fumble in last year's Super Bowl that led to a Kansas City touchdown, emphasizing that the Eagles must avoid similar mistakes this time around. "They're used to being uncomfortable," Edelman said, acknowledging the Chiefs' resilience. Edelman also recognized that the Eagles' success this season has been largely driven by their strong run game. "They're going to have to establish the run," he said. "When that run game goes, it opens up everything else." But even with a strong rushing attack, Edelman stressed that Philly's passing game needs to be more consistent if they are to compete with Kansas City. As the Chiefs continue to face criticism and comparisons to Edelman's Patriots, it's clear that Edelman sees many similarities in how both teams play the game. "It's fun to watch them because that's how football is supposed to look," he said. Commanders' Kliff Kingsbury to Pass Over Saints Job to Remain in Washington For more on the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.