NFL fan paranoia is already in mid-season form.
With Chargers defensive captain Derwin James’ one-game ban over safety violations, the NFL is once again being accused of favoring the two-time defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs – Los Angeles‘ Week 4 opponent. The Chiefs are regularly accused of being the league’s preferred franchise and James’ suspension dovetailed nicely with that conspiracy theory.
‘hope [Chiefs quarterback Patrick] Mahomes’ soul was worth the 3peat,’ wrote one fan on X.
‘you’ll never guess who the chargers play next game,’ another added, prompting a number of responders to correctly guess Kansas City.
‘Commissioner is protecting Queen Mahomes and the Swifties, one fan wrote. ‘Suspended Derwin James for playing the game the right way. I don’t see you throwing flags at the Steelers or the Chiefs for that matter. Head hunt Mahomes.’
Derwin James Jr. #3 of the Los Angeles Chargers leads a huddle prior to a recent game
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) stretches out before September 15 game
Suspicions surrounding the NFL and Chiefs have only gained more traction as Taylor Swift’s relationship with Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce has helped the NFL attract record audiences.
However, James’ suspension may be warranted.
He has five unnecessary roughness penalties in his last 18 games, the most in the league by a defensive player. And all five have involved blows to the head of an opponent with his shoulder or helmet.
Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, cited the league’s ban on lowering the head and initiating contact with the helmet. Runyan pointed to James’ targeting of Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth during the third quarter of Sunday’s 20-10 loss at Pittsburgh as the last straw.
James lowered his head and hit Freiermuth, drawing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.
The strong safety had an unobstructed path to Freiermuth and could have adjusted the way he delivered the hit.
‘Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated,’ Runyan wrote in a letter to James.
‘Substantial penalties are warranted when players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player.’
James said after the game that he didn’t ask the referee why he was penalized.
‘I’m not here to referee, I’m playing fast and not thinking about a flag,’ he said. ‘I’ll look at the film and see if they send me a fine. I don’t feel like I hit him in the head or neck.’
The 2-1 Chargers host the 3-0 Chiefs on Sunday in Los Angeles.
