Tom Brady fires back at Mahomes and Reid: “The knee flinched

Tom Brady has delivered a blunt response to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid after the Kansas City Chiefs complained about a critical late-game penalty in their 28-24 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Reviewing the play during his latest FOX Sports power rankings segment, Brady said officials made the correct call when they flagged right tackle Jaylon Moore for a false start with four seconds remaining.

"I hate pouring salt in the wound, but the knee flinched," Brady said.

"The refs made the right call."

The penalty wiped out what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown pass from Mahomes to receiver Rashee Rice.

Instead of celebrating a victory, Kansas City was forced to run another play from the six-yard line.

Mahomes was sacked by Denver defensive tackle Malcolm Roach on the next snap, sealing the Chiefs' second straight loss after opening the season with five consecutive wins.

Andy Reid questioned the penalty during his postgame press conference.

"I didn't see it," Reid said.

"That's one man's opinion. I saw him move his head, but I didn't see a false start."

Mahomes also expressed frustration that such a marginal infraction was called in the decisive moment of the game.

"But a lot of times in those big moments, the little stuff doesn't get called like that," Mahomes told reporters.

Brady's assessment directly contradicts both the head coach and the quarterback.

By siding with the officiating crew, the seven-time Super Bowl champion has effectively shut down the argument that the Chiefs were robbed.

Kansas City committed 11 penalties for 105 yards against Denver, a fact Brady did not mention but one that undermines the complaint that a single call decided the outcome.

The loss dropped the Chiefs to 5-2 on the season and marked their second consecutive defeat after opening with five straight wins.

Brady's comments carry weight because of his own history with close officiating decisions in high-stakes games.

As a quarterback, he was frequently involved in controversial calls that swung playoff and Super Bowl outcomes.

His willingness to back the officials in this instance signals that he sees the play as clear-cut rather than questionable.

The NFL rulebook defines a false start as any movement by an offensive player that simulates the start of the snap after he has taken a set position.

Offensive linemen are required to remain motionless until the ball is snapped.

Moore's knee movement, visible on replay, constituted a violation under that rule.

Reid's argument that he only saw Moore move his head does not change the fact that the tackle's knee also moved before the snap.

Officials are trained to call any pre-snap movement by a lineman, regardless of whether it appears minor.

The timing of the penalty, with four seconds left and a touchdown wiped off the board, made it more visible but did not make it incorrect.

Mahomes' point about "little stuff" not being called in big moments is a common sentiment among players and coaches.

However, the NFL has consistently instructed its officials to enforce all rules regardless of the game situation.

There is no provision in the rulebook that allows referees to ignore infractions because of the score or time remaining.

Brady's background as a player who benefited from many close calls gives him credibility when he says this one was clean.

He has been on both sides of controversial officiating decisions throughout his 23-year career.

His willingness to publicly disagree with Mahomes and Reid, two of the most respected figures in the current NFL, shows he believes strongly in his assessment.

The Chiefs now face questions about whether their frustration with officiating is masking deeper problems.

Back-to-back losses after a 5-0 start have exposed issues on both sides of the ball.

Kansas City's defense allowed Denver to rally from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.