Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes offers unsolicited advice to Ravens' Isaiah Likely after overturned TD

The Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the 2024 NFL season with a thrilling, down-to-the-wire 27-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

It all came down to the final play of the game, where the age-old platitude of football, "a game of inches" came into play. In the final seconds of the game, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson targeted Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone. It looked as if Likely had scored a game-winning touchdown, but upon further review, Likely had landed out of bounds by a toe.

(:05) (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short middle to I.Likely for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the pass completion ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass incomplete short middle to I.Likely (N.Bolton). - NFLGSIS play log

There has been plenty of back-and-forth banter following the game, but Patrick Mahomes had some great unsolicited advice to give to Likely on his wardrobe choices for the game.

"I mean, it just, because It looked good from my angle on the sideline," Mahomes told reporters following the game. "But then that first view you saw you could see the cleat. That's a great football team and I'm sure we'll see them again at some point in the playoffs. We're happy with the win now. He's got to wear white cleats next time, that's my advice for him."

It's like that joke about how offensive line coaches tell players to wear gloves that are the colors of opponent jerseys so it's harder for referees to see them holding.

The black-toed cleats made it incredibly apparent that Likely was in fact, out of bounds on what would have been the game-winning touchdown catch. It was easy for the NFL to overturn the ruling on the field. Had he worn all-white cleats, that little bit of doubt might have allowed the officials to uphold the ruling on the field, which was a touchdown that could give them a chance to go for two points and win the game.

Likely probably won't take kindly to the unsolicited advice. He said after the game, "I just have to get both feet in." He took responsibility for the failed touchdown grab. His quarterback, however, remains in denial.

“I thought it was a touchdown," Jackson said. "I still think it was a touchdown.”

Related: Patrick Mahomes' revelation about Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy after Week 1 should have the NFL cowering in fear