ESPN New York Host Suggests NFL 'Won’t Allow' Chiefs to Lose to Giants, Calls It a Conspiracy
Don La Greca said on-air the league would prevent Kansas City from dropping to 0-3 as the team faces a stretch of nationally televised games
ESPN New York radio host Don La Greca on Monday suggested the NFL would not permit the Kansas City Chiefs to lose to the New York Giants on national television and fall to 0-3, calling the scenario a conspiracy on his show.
La Greca made the remarks during his program alongside co-hosts Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg, arguing that the Chiefs’ status as a major national draw and a run of upcoming appearances on network television made a Giants victory unlikely. "There’s too much on the line, I’m sorry," he said. "Call me a conspiracy theorist. ESPN can fire me. The NFL is not going to allow the Kansas City Chiefs to lose that game on national television and be 0-3." He added, "Goodell will run on the field."
La Greca referenced the national spotlight on the Chiefs, pointing to a sequence of televised games that includes Sunday Night Football on NBC, a CBS matchup with the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 28, a Monday Night Football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 6 and another Sunday Night Football appearance on Oct. 12. He also invoked the team’s high-profile players, mentioning tight end Travis Kelce and his widely publicized relationship, and said viewers would notice calls that would prompt viewers to ask, "how did that happen?"
The Chiefs enter the matchup 0-2, the franchise’s first 0-2 start since 2014, while the Giants are also 0-2. La Greca conceded at times that New York’s early-season form might factor into the result, but he maintained that the league had broader incentives to ensure Kansas City did not remain winless in front of a national audience.
La Greca’s remarks were presented as opinion on a sports talk program and did not cite direct evidence of league intervention. The NFL and ESPN did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Chiefs have been a frequent fixture on national telecasts in recent seasons, driven largely by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, and their games typically draw substantial television audiences. Nationally televised matchups can carry heightened scrutiny of officiating and game outcomes, and commentators and fans have periodically debated whether marquee teams receive advantages tied to ratings and exposure. Those debates have often remained speculative and have not produced public proof of league-directed outcomes.
The comments by La Greca followed Kansas City’s opening losses and come as the Chiefs prepare for several nationally broadcast games that will draw large viewing audiences and renewed focus on personnel and officiating. Media and fans will be watching how the league handles play-calling, officiating decisions and any in-game controversies during the stretch.
On-air sports talk personalities frequently offer opinionated takes designed to provoke discussion, and La Greca’s characterization of the league’s motives drew attention on social media and in sports coverage. He told listeners, "Honestly, people, rise up. C’mon, speak our minds here. Is there any world where the NFL is going to say, ‘whatever we do make sure the Giants win this game.’"
The Chiefs and Giants are scheduled to meet in the nationally televised slot following the hosts’ comments. Both teams will face scrutiny for on-field performance as well as how game-management and officiating influence outcomes during a high-profile portion of the NFL season.
