Andy Reid Questions NFL Rule After Teair Tart Avoids Ejection for Strike on Travis Kelce
Chiefs coach says he will seek clarification after Chargers lineman delivered an open‑hand blow to Kelce’s head that drew a penalty but not ejection
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday he was perplexed by the league's decision not to eject Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart after a blow to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in Friday night’s game drew only a penalty.
The incident occurred in the third quarter when Kelce continued to block after the whistle and Tart appeared to retaliate with an open‑hand strike to Kelce’s head. Tart was assessed an unnecessary‑roughness penalty on the play, but was not disqualified.
Asked about the call during a Monday news conference ahead of Kansas City's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Reid said, "Yeah, I don't understand that — that rule." He added, "I guess it's open‑hand fist, whatever, I don't know. I mean, 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 fist or a closed fist." Reid said he planned to follow up with league officials to get clarity.
The NFL rule book distinguishes between types of strikes to the head. An open‑hand slap is illegal and subject to penalty, but it does not mandate automatic disqualification; a closed‑fist punch is treated as a more flagrant act and calls for an automatic disqualification, according to league guidance cited after the game. The NFL did not announce any additional discipline for Tart following the incident.
Tart drew widespread attention on social media after the play, including criticism from fans of Taylor Swift, who are among Kelce's high‑profile supporters. Tart later posted a photo on Instagram with a caption that read, "I’m too swift with it even in Brazil…" The team and the league did not immediately elaborate publicly on whether the post would prompt further review.
The game in which the incident occurred was the Chiefs’ matchup with the Chargers in an international setting, and Kelce had earlier in that contest celebrated a scoring play. Reid spoke about the sequence as part of his broader media availability the week following the game. He said he would seek an explanation from the league office about how officials applied the rule in that instance.
NFL officiating has periodically drawn scrutiny when players are penalized but remain in the game after contact to the head, and appeals for uniform application of rules governing helmet‑to‑helmet hits and punches have surfaced in previous seasons. League officials have in recent years emphasized player safety while also noting distinctions in intent, force and the type of contact in determining in‑game ejections and postgame discipline.
As of Monday, the Chargers had not announced any internal discipline for Tart, and the NFL's competition committee had not issued any immediate statement beyond the rule clarification referenced by team sources. The Chiefs prepared to turn their focus to their next regular‑season matchup while Reid said he would pursue further clarification from the league about the standard that was applied in the play.
