Andy Reid Questions NFL After Teair Tart Avoids Ejection for Slap on Travis Kelce

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on Tuesday criticized the NFL after Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart was not ejected for slapping Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in the face during the teams’ season opener in São Paulo.

The incident occurred on a Chiefs drive that ended with a Patrick Mahomes touchdown when Kelce was engaged in a block on Tart. After play, Tart, listed at 6-foot-2 and 315 pounds, delivered an open-handed blow to Kelce’s helmet. Referees allowed Tart to remain in the game, a decision that drew immediate attention from coaches, players and fans.

"I don't understand that rule," Reid said, according to NFL.com. "I guess it's open-hand, fist, whatever, I don't know. I don't know what their decision was on that. But he definitely got hit in the head pretty hard, whether it was an open hand or a closed fist." Reid added that he would seek clarification from the league, saying, "I'll work out that with the league. I can't get into all that."

Kelce appeared uninjured and did not respond angrily on the field. He shrugged and appealed to the referees for action after the contact. During the broadcast of the game, NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson said officials considered the contact an "open-hand blow to the head" and not a closed-fist punch, which under the league's rules would be disqualifying.

Tart drew additional scrutiny on social media after reposting a skit from comedian Dave Chappelle that depicts a fictionalized slapping scene, and he wrote in an Instagram caption, "I'm too swift with it even in Brazil…" The posts prompted backlash from fans, including supporters of singer Taylor Swift who have shown strong public support for Kelce in recent seasons. Tart later shared game photos to his account but did not retract his earlier posts.

The Chargers held on to a 27-21 victory in the international matchup, handing the Chiefs a loss in the regular-season opener. Kansas City is scheduled to host a rematch of last season's Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers return to divisional play against the Las Vegas Raiders.

League officials had not announced any further discipline for Tart as of Tuesday. Reid's comments signal the Chiefs intend to seek clarity from the NFL on how officials interpret and enforce rules governing hand strikes to the head, particularly distinctions between open-hand and closed-fist contacts that can determine ejection.

The incident drew attention not only for its immediate competitive impact but also for how the enforcement of player-safety rules is communicated and applied on high-profile plays. Teams and the league have in recent seasons emphasized head-contact enforcement; disputes over interpretation of those rules have occasionally prompted public comments from coaches and league officials.

As of publication, the NFL did not provide an official statement to clarify whether the on-field ruling would be reviewed or whether supplemental discipline would follow.