A growing number of fans and analysts believe the NFL will do whatever it takes to help the Buffalo Bills win a Super Bowl-even if it means bending its own rules. That suspicion intensified after the league’s Board of Owners approved two instrumental rule changes, which coincide with the recent struggles of Josh Allen and his team.
At the recent NFL Annual League Meeting, the owners passed several rule modifications designed to streamline the game and enhance fairness. However, two stood out above the rest: guaranteed possession in overtime and the implementation of Hawkeye technology to determine whether a ball has crossed the 1st-and-10 line.
These changes appear directly tied to Buffalo’s two painful postseason losses against Kansas City. The first was the infamous “13-second meltdown” in 2022, when the Chiefs tied the game in the final second of regulation and then won the divisional-round matchup in overtime-without the Bills ever touching the ball again.
The second heartbreak occurred last January in the AFC Championship. Allen attempted to convert a 1st-and-10 by extending the ball, but officials ruled he had not crossed the line. Kansas City recovered possession and capitalized on the opportunity, scoring on their next drive to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl LIX.
The timing of these rule changes may seem coincidental, but Shannon Sharpe doesn’t believe in coincidences.
The Sharpe Theory
On the latest episode of his Nightcap podcast, the former NFL star fueled conspiracy theories by suggesting the league specifically implemented these changes to benefitBuffalo.
“This is what Chiefs fans are saying: ‘Damn, they want Buffalo to win the Super Bowl so bad, they’re changing the rules to help them,'” Sharpe remarked.
The player-turned-analyst then criticized Buffalo’s postseason misfortunes, asserting that their losses stemmed from their own shortcomings-not unfair rules.
“Hey, Buffalo, you’ve got to be on the right side of history. Y’all had a lead with 13 seconds left. Listen, you deserve to lose if you have a lead with 13 seconds left and you allow a team to get into field-goal range.”
Meanwhile, Sharpe’s co-host, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, applauded the rule modifications, saying, “It evens the playing field and makes the game fair.”
The Allen Factor
Josh Allen is one of the league’s best quarterbacks. In 2024 alone, the Bills signal-caller amassed 3,731 passing yards, tossed 28 touchdowns, and recorded just six interceptions. However, Buffalo’s 0-4 record against the Chiefs in the postseason remains a glaring stain on an otherwise impressive résumé.
While the NFL maintains that these rule changes are designed to promote fairness and enhance game fluidity, fans speculate that the league is simply trying to help Allen. And Sharpe is keeping the conspiracy alive, saying no matter what adjustments the NFL makes, the Bills “are going to find another way to lose.”
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