Tom Brady voices early complaint about officiating in Super Bowl LIX between Chiefs and Eagles

Tom Brady is calling his first Super Bowl as an analyst for FOX, and it didn’t take him long to question the officiating at the Caesars Superdome as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles got off to a controversial start.

“I don’t like that one either. I just think you throw the ball high and he barely gets hit by the defense,” Brady said after Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie was called for unnecessary roughness on third down.

While the Chiefs defender made contact with Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert, many believe the referees’ decision was unfair. Besides, it made an immediate impact on the game, as Philadelphia went on to score the opening touchdown of Super Bowl LIX on that drive.

The previous controversial call in Super Bowl LIX

Before the controversial call against the Chiefs, the officials already got in the eye of the storm by throwing a flag against Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown for pass interference before catching a pass from Jalen Hurts on fourth-and-two.

“Don’t like that one bit. This is too critical of a game. The hand-fighting is going on downfield,” Brady said about the decision. “I always thought in these games you let the players play. It should be decided on the field. Don’t like that call to start the game.”

The decision gave plenty to talk about on social media and on the field, with Eagles HC Nick Sirianni complaining to the refs for the call. Brady didn’t agree neither with that call nor the one against McDuffie.

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Video: Nick Sirianni complains to referees after Chiefs get very controversial call in Super Bowl 2025

How much do NFL referees make in the Super Bowl?

According to The Sporting News, referees selected to officiate in the Super Bowl receive an estimated bonus that ranges between $40,000 and $50,000. And even though the NFL doesn’t reveal the salaries of its refs, it is estimated that they make an average of $201,000 per year, based on the 2019 collective bargaining agreement. Therefore, it makes sense that Brady and everyone else holds them to a high standard when the ultimate glory is on the line.