Did officials miss a Broncos penalty on pass play that set up winning field goal?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Officials missed a possible false start on Troy Franklin before the pass.
- The unflagged play led to a 32-yard completion that set up a game-winning field goal.
- Had officials called the false start, prior third-and-15 conversion still mattered.
The score was tied with 54 seconds remaining in the Chiefs’ game Sunday against the Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.
That’s when Kansas City called a timeout.
Denver had the ball on the Chiefs’ 47-yard line and lined up for a second-and-8 play, knowing a field goal would win the game. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix completed a clutch 32-yard pass to Troy Franklin.
That set up a 35-yard field goal by Wil Lutz that gave Denver a 22-19 win over the Chiefs.
It went unnoticed at the time, but should the Broncos have been called for a penalty before that Nix-to-Franklin pass? It sure seems like Franklin could have been called for a false start. Here is the video from KSHB’s Mick Shaffer.
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz thought it was a false start. He noted Kansas City cornerback Jaylen Watson was signaling to an official about Franklin.
The Broncos had converted a third-and-15 play earlier in the drive, so if a penalty had been called, it may have made no difference in the outcome.
This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM.
