The NFL appointed veteran official Shawn Smith to the Chiefs-Ravens AFC Championship Game. Is the league angling for a Taylor Swift Super Bowl?
News broke on Tuesday regarding the crew of officials for this weekend’s AFC title matchup between the No. 3 seeded Kansas City Chiefs and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens.
An announcement of this nature rarely finds the casual football audience. But, given the name of the lead official in this one, it bears mentioning.
Is the NFL setting up a clear path to the Super Bowl for Chiefs, Taylor Swift?
Shawn Smith, a long-time veteran referee, has been appointed to the win-or-go-home showdown in Baltimore. Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis explained why he feels Smith was the wrong choice by the NFL.
The NFL pushed the panic button 🚨They have a ref in their rotation who is a MASSIVE edge to road teamsRoad teams win at the #1 highest rate with him…He penalizes home teams in ways no other ref does… and…He's calling the Chiefs road gamehttps://t.co/Eljx8ryirX
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) January 23, 2024
According to Sharp, Smith heavily favors road teams. He backs it up in the article above by providing a heavy dose of alarming statistics and trends.
In the last three years, games refereed by other crews saw the home team win over 55 percent of the time. With Smith as an official? That number drops to a staggering 40.8 percent.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Home teams even get whistled for more penalties than their road counterparts when Smith is on the field. That’s not how it usually plays out, as the penalty numbers tend to skew heavily toward the hosting squad, with a disruptive stadium behind them.
Further, since 2018, Smith has ranked No. 1 in road team win percentage. Knowing all of this, is it fair to say the NFL is positioning for a Taylor Swift Super Bowl?
Immediately, fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the decision.
Fans show outrage over the Shawn Smith news
Everyone talking about #Ravens at home, Shawn Smith, Mahomes on the road. Bottom line. Do we really think the NFL isn't getting Taylor Swift on the most televised event of the year to set viewership records? Be better. #Chiefs ML.
— MJ3 (@MJ3_MMA) January 23, 2024
Am I the only one concerned about a possible deliberate attempt to get Taylor Swift to the SB to boost ratings? I try not to entertain script/political ideas with the NFL but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about that .408 winning percentage FOR HOME TEAMS (that… https://t.co/KPpZSWUdqe
— Noah Hose (@4theFlock) January 23, 2024
Others claim it’s a faulty argument, bordering on a conspiracy. PFF’s Timo Riske says Sharp didn’t produce the Smith statistics in good faith. He backed up that stance with a lengthy thread on X.
ok, so let's do this…I'll focus on Shawn Smith's record in terms of how often home teams won against the spread.Ignore the pushes for simplicity. 17-29 against the spread. Second lowest among 19 referees.Is that…unsual?🧵 https://t.co/klW3xDhyKO pic.twitter.com/aSCYt7K12Q
— Timo Riske (@PFF_Moo) January 23, 2024
Regardless of where you stand on the situation, the decision is final. The Ravens, playing against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, may very well have to overcome another factor this Sunday — and it isn’t Taylor Swift.