After a hugely controversial call in the AFC Championship Game influenced the outcome of the game — and helped decide a Super Bowl LIX participant — one brand made a surprising offer to the NFL referees.
LASIK.com tweeted after the game with a special promo available to NFL referees.
“Better Vision. Better Calls. Still literally offering all NFL refs free LASIK,” the LASIK.com account tweeted, with a screenshot of Bills quarterback Josh Allen leaning forward for a seeming first down.
Allen, of course, would controversially be ruled short of the first down by the officials, though the replay reviews appeared to make at least somewhat of a case that he had crossed the line needed to pick up the first down. The Chiefs would score on the ensuing possession after the turnover on downs, altering the course of the AFC Championship Game.
So back to the LASIK.com offer.
The company followed up with a two-part promo offer. First, anyone who nominates a referee can get $1,000 off their own LASIK procedure by going to LASIK.com/football.
The user must mention the promotion and be treated by February 2025 to qualify. The promotion is good for $1,000 off ($500 per eye) standard price of a Wavelight procedure, and it cannot be combined with any other offers.
While the offer is hilarious, it probably won’t take the sting out of the original call in the AFC Championship Game that went against the Bills.
Even the broadcast crew calling the game seemed to feel that Allen had picked up the first down.
“I felt like he gained it by about a third of the football,” rules expert Gene Steratore said. “That was just my take on the play. Tough, tough play.”
Kansas City managed to hold on in the AFC Championship Game after taking the lead following the controversial turnover on downs, winning 32-29 to advance to Super Bowl LIX. It will be a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, played between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kansas City won that matchup 38-35.
Thirteen days out, the storylines for the Super Bowl write themselves. The Chiefs look to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowl
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