Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Shocks NFL Fans by Defending Commanders, Accuses Refs of Favoring Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs
Washington, D.C. – October 29, 2025
When a Cowboys legend defends the Commanders, you know something extraordinary has happened. Troy Aikman — a Hall of Famer long despised by Washington fans for decades of rivalry — shocked viewers when he openly blasted NFL officials for allegedly favoring Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The criticism came during the Commanders’ clash with the Chiefs, when a roughing-the-passer flag left both teams stunned. Mahomes slipped while scrambling, barely brushed by two Washington defenders who tried to pull up, yet officials threw a late flag that extended Kansas City’s drive.
Aikman, usually calm and analytical, couldn’t stay silent. “Oh, come on,” he said live on air. “He’s a runner. I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit.”
His words immediately went viral, igniting fierce debate about whether the league protects its biggest star too much.
Even Mahomes acknowledged after the game that the moment “looked softer than it was.”
“I just play the game how it comes,” he added. “Sometimes you get calls, sometimes you don’t. I don’t expect anything different.”
Across social media, fans from Washington to Houston exploded with frustration, praising Aikman for “telling the truth” despite his Cowboy roots. Hashtags like
#NFLBias and #ChiefsPrivilege trended within hours as fans accused the league of double standards.
The NFL Referees Association quickly responded, calling Aikman’s accusations “insulting and baseless.” Officials insisted they “call what they see, not who they see,” dismissing any idea of preferential treatment toward Mahomes or Kansas City.
This isn’t the first time the Chiefs have been accused of benefiting from questionable officiating. Similar debates emerged in past postseasons, where critical penalties appeared to tilt momentum their way.
For once, even a Cowboys legend sided with Washington. And in the NFL’s most heated week of controversy, that irony said more than any penalty flag ever could.
Lightning’s Charle-Edouard D’Astous’ immediate reaction to scoring first NHL goal
The Tampa Bay Lightning have already celebrated milestones this year, such as Nikita Kucherov joining the 1,000-point club. On Tuesday night, the team celebrated another major moment in an NHL career.
Charle-Edouard D’Astous scored a goal for the first time in his NHL career, helping in a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators during Frozen Frenzy.
“The last week has been pretty nice for me since I’ve been here. I’m just trying to help the team to win, and I know I have good poise defensively, I can bring some offense, and it’s nice to be rewarded,” D’Astous said to the media through a smile after the game.
In the third period of the game against the Predators, with the Lightning already leading 2-1, D’Astous took a pass from Brayden Point on the break, beating Juuse Saros. It not only made the game 3-1, but proved to be the game-winning goal.
The contest also saw Anthony Cirelli reach the 300-point marker in his career on an assist in the second period. He would add another assist later in the game, placing him 12th in franchise history in points with 301.
D’Astous was signed out of the SHL in Sweden following a solid season with Brynas IF. He made his NHL debut against the Anaheim Ducks on October 25th. The Canadian-born defender has played in three games so far this year. His only point is the goal on Tuesday night. He has also seen his ice time increase during his three games, reaching a season high of 17:11 in the win.
“If you look game one through game three, I’ve only played three games but I think every game just got better. I feel like I deserve to be here and I can easily play with everyone in this league,” D’Astous said. “So yeah, I’m just getting better and better every night, so I think it’s just getting easier for me.”
The rookie blue liner will look to continue his first NHL campaign strongly on Thursday night. The Lightning are now 4-4-2 on the season after winning three games in a row, and they’ll look to make it four when the 6-3-1 Dallas Stars come to town.
