Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes uttered some words during Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium which was picked up by a hot mic and immediately got people on the internet buzzing. After Mahomes got tackled early in the first quarter of the Broncos game, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player was heard on broadcast saying “Can you let me know if he’s close? Tell me, tell me,” while an official was trying to make a false start call on Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor.

While it was not completely sure who Mahomes was talking to, CBS analyst Trent Green seemed to believe that the signal-caller was asking a ref to alert him when a defensive player was getting close to him. A post on X sharing the same accusation has also gone viral, though, many fans have rejected that idea. Patrick Mahomes caught on a hot mic asking a ref if they can let him know when a defender is close to him. (Turn sound on)

Can we get @NFL to investigate this? pic.twitter.com/vdjHNJA9O8 — Stripes (@DocStripes) November 10, 2024 “He was taking about the right tackle lining up on line of scrimmage you buffoon,” a commenter said. “Click bait (expletive) to push a false narrative. He was asking about [Jawaan] Taylor lining up … but sure, whatever makes everyone feel better,” another fan reacted.

A separate comment read: “You are misinterpreting this. He is asking to ref to let him know when his RT is close to being lineup up to far back.” From a different online user: “No he’s asking about the penalty on Taylor and where he’s lined up.” Meanwhile, ex-Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz also weighed in on the matter.

“I think the announcers had a wrong read of the ‘can you let me know when he’s close’ comment,” said Schwartz, who won a Super Bowl with Mahomes and the Chiefs in 2020. “My best guess is Pat was asking for them to let him know when Jawaan is close to being offsides. Don’t think it had anything to do with defenders being close to him.”

As for the game itself, Mahomes and the Chiefs added the Broncos to Kansas City’s growing list of victims. Mahomes passed for 266 yards and a touchdown on 28-of-42 completions in a 16-14 victory over Denver. With that win, the Chiefs remain undefeated through nine weeks in the 2024 season.