Is the NFL Rigged?

That’s a question that was roundly asked yesterday as people talked about the Chiefs win over the Bengals.

It’s a question that is asked in half the NFL cities every weekend.

I’ve toyed with the idea a number of times.

Examples:

1). Ray Lewis wins a super bowl as he goes off into retirement. What’s worse? During that game they were being hammered and then the lights went out and they came all the way back.

2).Seattle throws a pass - that gets picked off - a half yard away from scoring the go-ahead touchdown. There was zero reason to throw the ball. They did. Seemed insane.

3). Peyton Manning wins a super bowl in his last game. He couldn’t throw it 3 yards. Was completely washed up. What a wonderful script it seemed to be.

4). Atlanta 28 New England 3 - with about 12 minutes left. Patriots won in overtime. I remember seeing the Harlem Globetrotters as a kid. They were down big to the Washington Generals and I was pretty upset about it.

“Don’t worry,” Dad said. “They’ll win. It’s all worked out beforehand.”

5). Pittsburgh over Seattle in Ben Rapistpervert’s rookie year. I remember watching that game - every call went Pittsburgh’s way.

For years and years there was a narrative that ‘the league wants Brady to win.’

Yesterday it was all talk about how the league ‘wants Mahommes to win.’

As we watched the game on Sunday it was painfully apparent that Kansas City was getting every call.

The game was tied.

A flag on the field meant that KC was getting a break.

“God, almost seems fixed,” Kathy said.

“It is ugly,” I said.

“Think of all the millions of dollars being bet,” Kathy said, “And then think about anything in life that has that much money at stake. It’s always corrupt. Sports are beyond that?”

I laughed.

“How can anyone question the integrity of the NFL?” I asked.

And the answer to the question is most likely that the league is NOT rigged, but they could definitely pick the winner of the game if they wanted to.

And there is way too much money involved for there even to be questions about the refs, but there are questions every week.

Because the refs do a bad job game after game. 

We all see it now.

Because of all of the replays.

If we have the technology in real time shouldn’t they?

Somehow the credibility has to be re-established.

 But then again, why does it matter?

People still watch the Globetrotters and professional wrestling…

…just hope that you win your bets, right?