"We live in a hater’s society”: Pat McAfee responds to Super Bowl 2025 boycott rumors amid ‘Chiefs Conspiracy’ allegations

The Kansas City Chiefs' thrilling victory over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship has ignited a wave of controversy and frustration among NFL fans. The Chiefs' 32-29 win on January 26, 2025, was marred by contentious refereeing calls, with many viewers claiming that the officiating was biased in favor of the Chiefs. This has led to a petition and calls for a boycott of Super Bowl LIX, which will see the Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last year's title game.

Pat McAfee clears the air on Super Bowl 2025 boycott over claims of Chiefs conspiracy

The primary grievance from fans revolves around what they perceive as poor officiating decisions, including questionable roughing-the-passer penalties, that seemingly tilted the game in Kansas City’s favor. These calls have reignited long-standing concerns about referee biases that have been a hot topic throughout the season. As a result, some fans have expressed their intention to boycott Super Bowl LIX, particularly in light of the Chiefs' third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.


While the backlash grows louder, some figures within the NFL community, such as former NFL player and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee, are skeptical of these boycott threats. “What are you gonna do?” McAfee challenged fans. “We will be watching the Super Bowl… I think it got real loud there about the Chiefs [but]… we live in a hater’s society.” McAfee dismissed the online outcry, asserting that "football is the greatest thing on television," and pointed out that the NFL continues to experience rising viewership numbers.

Indeed, McAfee’s assertion holds weight when looking at the AFC Championship game itself. With 57.7 million viewers, it became the most-watched AFC Championship game since 1988, cementing its place as the second most-watched non-Super Bowl game in NFL history. This figure suggests that, despite the backlash, the overall appeal of the NFL is undiminished. McAfee further highlighted that last year’s Super Bowl, which saw the Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers, drew a staggering 123.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched broadcast in American history since the moon landing.

While McAfee and his crew predict that Super Bowl LIX’s viewership may dip slightly from last year’s historic numbers, they still expect a solid 120 million viewers, thanks in part to Taylor Swift’s anticipated attendance. The pop star’s involvement in NFL broadcasts has consistently boosted viewership, though it’s unclear whether her presence will outweigh the potential loss of fans turned off by the officiating controversies.


As the NFL continues to break records for viewership and ticket sales, some longtime fans feel increasingly sidelined by the league’s growing reliance on celebrity culture and partnerships with sportsbooks. These fans, who have supported the sport for years, now find themselves questioning whether the Super Bowl is still meant for them—or if it has become more about entertainment than the game itself.

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Ultimately, despite the vocal complaints, McAfee’s challenge to fans remains: “What are any of us gonna do? We’re gonna not turn on the Super Bowl? Okay.” With the NFL’s ever-expanding audience, it seems likely that the spectacle will continue to thrive, regardless of the controversies that arise along the way.