NFL hits Chargers DL Teair Tart where it hurts after controversial penalty on Chiefs TE Travis Kelce in Week 1
Hopefully he learns a lesson.
Midway through the third quarter of Kansas City’s Week 1 matchup against the Chargers, Los Angeles defensive tackle Teair Tart struck Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in the head after Kelce was blocking him during a run play.
Tart was flagged for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty, but was not ejected because his punch was open-handed. According to NFL rules, had Tart hit Kelce with a closed fist, he would have been ejected.
Given the league’s crackdown on blows to the head over the past several years, that rule has become quite controversial. Regardless, Tart did receive some further punishment for his actions by the NFL on Saturday.
Teair Tart fined for his blow to the head on Travis Kelce
The NFL has fined Tart $12,172 for unnecessary roughness that falls under the category of striking/kicking/kneeing.
For comparison, Dallas Cowboy offensive tackle Tyler Guyton was fined the same amount for delivering an open-handed blow to the head of Philadelphia Eagles Jalyx Hunt. Tart wasn’t exactly remorseful for what he did to Kelce, taking a shot at him on Instagram after the game.
After the incident, Tart continued to be a thorn in the side of the Chiefs, batting down two passes during crucial situations. Coach Andy Reid was expressed frustration over Tart getting off easy for the slap to Kelce’s head.
“I don’t understand that rule,” Reid told the media on Monday. “I guess it’s open-handed, or whatever. I don’t know what their decision was on that, but he (Kelce) definitely got hit in the head pretty hard, whether it was an open-fist or a closed-fist. I’m not sure how you determine which hurts more. I’ll work that out with the league. I can’t get into all that, I don’t have enough money to do all that.”
The Chargers went on to defeat K.C. by a 27-21 final score. The two will face off again at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 15.
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