Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, faced a tough loss for his favorite team and his wallet.
As Daily Mail reported, Dave Portnoy lost $1 million following the Buffalo Bills' defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, marked by controversial officiating and questioned strategic decisions.
The AFC Championship game saw the Buffalo Bills experiencing a heart-wrenching defeat of 32-29 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. This loss dashed their hopes of making their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994.
Amid the high tensions of the fourth quarter, a disputed call on a missed first down by the Bills spurred widespread controversy. Dave Portnoy publicly condemned the NFL referees, accusing them of bias in favor of the Chiefs.
In a passionate video message, Portnoy expressed both anger and disappointment:
Guts ripped out, I feel for all of Buffalo. Let me tell you something: the refs should be in f***ing prison. Refs should be in prison, that fourth-down spot changed the whole game.
Dave Portnoy didn't stop with the referees, he also criticized Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. He specifically pointed out the repeated use of a failed play known in football vernacular as the "tush push."
Before the game, Portnoy had revealed his high-stakes bet on social media platform X: "My only focus is the Bills winning today cause I got a milly on them to win the Super Bowl." This significant financial stake added personal disappointment to the team's loss.
Portnoy aired his grievances further, lamenting both the team's and the coaching decisions during crucial moments of the game:
McDermott should be in prison, the Bills coach. That tush push that they run, that they kept running that doesn't work... yeah the refs f***ed you, [but] do they not know what a tush push is? You put two f***ing huge guys in and you push! They don't do that.
Meanwhile, the victorious Kansas City Chiefs, led by their star player Travis Kelce, advanced to the Super Bowl scheduled for February 9 in New Orleans, where they will face the Philadelphia Eagles.
Following the win, a jubilant Kelce shouted, "Never satisfied, baby!" clenching the mood with his victory cry.
If they win, the Chiefs would be the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, an unprecedented achievement in the era of highly competitive NFL leagues. This victory was a piece of the larger narrative that night.
While celebrating, Kelce paraphrased the hit by KC and The Sunshine Band, "Get Down Tonight", aligning his team's city initials with the infamous band's name, a serendipitous touch to the evening's success.
For Dave Portnoy and the Buffalo Bills fans, this game was a devastating blow not just to their Super Bowl aspirations but also to their perception of fairness in the sport. Dave Portnoy’s massive bet added a layer of personal loss to the defeat. The controversy over the officiating and decisions during the game ignited discussions on the integrity of NFL officiating and the effectiveness of Bill's game strategies.
