According to sources, the NFL has fined the Kansas City Chiefs $100,000 and tight end Peyton Hendershot $5,472 for a sideline shove that drew the ire of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith during last week’s kickoff game.
Hendershot, who was acquired from the Dallas Cowboys at the roster-reduction deadline last month, was inactive for the game, but he came to Patrick Mahomes’ aid after Smith appeared to tackle the star quarterback to the ground after Mahomes left the field following a fourth-quarter run.
Neither Hendershot nor Smith were flagged. He accused Mahomes of making a flop to provoke a penalty. The Chiefs won the season’s opening game 27-20.
According to sources, Hendershot plans to appeal the fine.
“Whoever 88 is, I don’t know who he is, but he better watch out for himself,” Smith said this week. “He made a nifty little push. I’ll see him when I see him.”
The NFL has cracked down on inactive players and other sideline personnel involved in altercations with active players in recent years.
The league sent clubs a memo on August 7 reminding them, among other things, that “The National Football League Rules of Play and the 2024 Policy Manual for Member Clubs – Game Operations prohibit non-player personnel (e.g., coaches, instructors, equipment personnel, security personnel) and non-participating players (e.g., inactive players, practice squad players) from making unnecessary physical contact with, taunting, or using abusive, threatening, or offensive language or gestures toward opponents, game officials, or league officials.”
The memo continued: “Clubs are responsible for the conduct of their players and other club personnel throughout the game day. NFL Football Operations will enforce these policies and, if appropriate, take accountability actions for individual players and clubs, which may include expulsion, fines and/or suspensions without pay.”
Kansas City (1-0) hosts the Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.
