Troy Aikman is one of the most respected figures in the NFL. The former quarterback is considered one of the best analysts today; however, his recent opinions on the officiating received a strong response from another NFL legend, player-turned-analyst Shannon Sharpe.
The work of the officiating is always under scrutiny, this is especially true during the playoffs and even more so if it is the Kansas City Chiefs. The performances of the officiating staff this postseason renewed accusations that the NFL fixes games in favor of Kansas City.
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In an interview with SI Media’s Jimmy Traina, Aikman fueled the conspiracy theories by hinting at a connection between officiating mistakes favoring the Chiefs and the NFL’s association with bookmakers. “This is tipped a little bit because the league is partners with a number of these gambling services,” he indicated.
Sharpe vs. Aikman
In the most recent episode of his podcast “Nightcap,”Sharpe defended the work of referees by saying, “If we think for one second that every official in every sport is going to get every call right, you’re delusional.”
Moving on, the former tight end attacked Aikman directly. “And for the athletes who have played the game, they’re delusional because now they’re pandering. Troy knows damn well people gambled on the games when he played.”
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback said referee calls need to improve, but “Uncle” Sharpe disagreed. “Now all of a sudden. Troy wants the refs to be perfect. Since he’s away from the game, make the refs be perfect. Troy, were they perfect when you played? Bro, y’all need to stop.”
Sharpe vs. Josh Allen
The former Denver Broncos star also had some words for Josh Allen’s new fans. “I just hate this pandering. I see a lot of people now all of a sudden, ‘Oh, poor Josh. Oh, I feel so bad for him,’ when they never felt bad for any other quarterback.”
Sharpe said that if the Bills had won the ticket to the Super Bowl, no one would care about the refereeing errors and ended with a lapidary message for Allen’s followers: “I hate this pity party for Josh Allen.”