Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t think the hit that knocked wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster out of the game had any ill-intent. He did, however, say there’s no place for it in the NFL.
With 6:40 to go in the first half, Mahomes dropped back and lofted a pass for Smith-Schuster, but the pass fell incomplete as Smith-Schuster was hit hard by Jacksonville safety Andre Cisco. There appeared to be helmet-to-helmet contact but no penalty was called. Smith-Schuster stayed on the ground for a little while and exited the game and was put in concussion protocol. The Chiefs won 27-17 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, but they weren’t happy that no flag was thrown on the play.
“If it’s helmet-to-helmet, it’s supposed to be a flag,” Mahomes said. “I know that guy wasn’t trying to, and I know it’s a bang-bang call that doesn’t always go your way. But you want to do your best to try and get that stuff out of the league so that we can have those guys out there playing and being safe.”
Smith-Schuster was working his way across the middle of the field, and Cisco hit him high. Initially there was a flag thrown on the play, but referee Brad Rogers picked it up and told Chiefs coach Andy Reid the hit was more shoulder-to-shoulder even though replays showed there was helmet-to-helmet contact.
“It looked like there was contact to the head from where I was standing,” Reid said. “But I’m not the one making that call.”
Smith-Schuster had two catches for 33 yards and the Chiefs managed well enough in his absence. Mahomes completed 26 of 35 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns with one pick. Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Noah Gray all caught touchdown passes.
And Toney, in just his second game with the Chiefs, caught four passes for 57 yards and tight-roped the sideline, hopping his way to a 6-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. But still, Toney was upset with the no-call that sent Smith-Schuster to the locker room.
“I was angry,” Toney said “I was kind of mad because I don’t really like dirty plays. But I feel like it gave the team a boost and gave us something to really put on our back. It gave us something to play for.”
Mahomes talked to Smith-Schuster after the game and said the Chiefs wideout was back to his “normal self.” A good sign as the Chiefs (7-2) will face the Chargers next week.
“We have a brotherhood here,” Mahomes said. “It’s been fast because it’s been a lot of new guys. But we’re all best friends. We’re doing stuff together every single day, and we’re guys that want to go out there and compete with each other and be the best we can be.”
