NFL Makes Discipline Decision on Chargers DL for Strike to Travis Kelce's Helmet

Teair Tart was penalized, but not ejected, for the strike during L.A.'s win vs. the Chiefs in Brazil.

Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart has been fined striking Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce across the facemask. / via YouTube

Teair Tart did not ingratiate himself with Chiefs fans (or those of one particular global pop star) during his Chargers' win over the Chiefs in Brazil last week.

Tart struck Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce with an open-hand slap during the third quarter of Los Angeles's 27–21 win after being blocked by the tight end on a running play, which ended with a shove from Kelce. After the game, he poured some salt on the wound, with an Instagram post captioned, "I’m too swift with it even in Brazil.”

He may have been swift enough to avoid ejection, but not a fine from the NFL. ESPN's Kris Rhim reports that the league has opted to fine Tart for the move, noting that the fine for a first-time offender for a strike like this is $12,172.

Tart would have been ejected with a closed-fist punch. After the game, Chiefs coach Andy Reid expressed confusion about the distinction there.

"I don't understand that rule," Reid said. "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 fist or a closed fist."

Tart and the Chargers are back in action on Monday night, with a 10 p.m. ET kickoff against another AFC West rival, the Raiders.

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