NEW YORK — The NFL has officially denied all allegations of officiating bias or “cheating” after the Chicago Bears publicly suggested that referees favored the Green Bay Packers during Sunday’s 28–21 defeat at Lambeau Field. The league not only rejected the accusations but issued a formal warning to the Bears organization regarding their post-game comments, which the NFL deemed “inappropriate and damaging to the integrity of the sport.”

The controversy erupted after several Bears players and coaches expressed frustration over a handful of missed penalties involving Green Bay, including a potential holding call and an illegal block on a key return. While Chicago insisted these officiating lapses affected the game’s outcome, the NFL responded swiftly on Monday morning, labeling the complaints as “baseless and not supported by game-review evidence.”

In a firm statement released by the league office, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent addressed both the allegations and the tone of Chicago’s remarks.

“After completing a full multi-angle review of all disputed plays, the league found no evidence of intentional bias, manipulation, or officiating misconduct. The integrity of NFL officiating is paramount, and accusations of ‘cheating’ carry serious implications. We expect all clubs to express concerns professionally and responsibly.”

The league’s message was clear: criticism is allowed — accusations of corruption are not.

According to league sources, several Bears personnel — including unnamed players and staff — are being privately reminded of the league’s conduct policy, which prohibits public comments that call into question the neutrality or integrity of officials. While no fines have been issued yet, the NFL is reportedly “monitoring the situation closely.”

The Bears, now 9–5 after back-to-back losses, were visibly emotional after the game. Quarterback Caleb Williams called the officiating “tough to swallow,” while head coach Ben Johnson hinted that the Bears were “playing against more than one opponent.” Those remarks reportedly triggered the league’s warning.

Inside Halas Hall, team leadership is said to be walking a tightrope — balancing frustration with the need to avoid further discipline. Publicly, Chicago has not retracted any statements but has emphasized “moving forward.”

Meanwhile, the Packers have remained silent amidst the uproar. Green Bay improved to 10–3–1 and reclaimed first place in the NFC North behind another strong outing from Jordan Love and a game-saving interception by Keisean Nixon. When asked about the controversy, a Packers spokesperson stated the team is “focused solely on football.”

League officials reiterated that while human error in officiating is inevitable, accusations of intentional favoritism undermine the credibility of the game and will be dealt with swiftly.

“We welcome feedback, but framing officiating mistakes as ‘cheating’ is unacceptable,” the league added. “We will not allow inflammatory narratives to distort public trust in the NFL.”

As the playoff race intensifies, the Bears now face a new challenge: repairing their relationship with the league office while trying to regain momentum on the field. One thing is certain — the NFL has made its position unmistakably clear, and Chicago has been put on notice.