Fans bewildered as Teair Tart ‘b*tch slapped’ Travis Kelce and got away with it

Teair Tart hit Travis Kelce across the helmet in the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers game on Friday, Sept. 5, and somehow stayed on the field. The Chargers defensive tackle drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness, but the officials refused to eject him.

Why Teair Tart avoided ejection after striking Travis Kelce in the Chiefs vs Chargers game

On the broadcast, former NFL referee Terry McAulay referenced a statement from NFL officiating executive Walt Anderson. “According to Walt Anderson, they said because it was an open hand contact to the head that was not disqualifying action,” McAulay said. The hit was ruled unnecessary roughness, but not flagrant enough to result in disqualification. That is why Teair Tart continued playing after the slap on Travis Kelce.The NFL rulebook allows referees to eject a player if unnecessary roughness is considered flagrant. In this case, officials judged the strike to be an open-hand blow, not a closed fist or an act with intent to injure. That distinction is what kept Teair Tart in the game, even after striking one of the league’s biggest stars.

Comparing Teair Tart’s situation with Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jalen Carter’s ejection

The decision stood out because just one day earlier, Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter was ejected in the first play of the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys for spitting at quarterback Dak Prescott.

Spitting was deemed “flagrant” and worthy of disqualification. By contrast, Teair Tart’s slap on Travis Kelce was ruled less severe, so the officials stopped at a penalty.This is what frustrates Kansas City Chiefs fans. The league promised to crack down on unsportsmanlike conduct this year, yet two separate Week 1 incidents were treated differently. It makes the rules look inconsistent, especially when a slap to the head seems worse than spit landing near a helmet.

Teair Tart’s late-game impact and the reaction from Chargers fans after the win

Keeping Teair Tart on the field mattered. In the fourth quarter, he batted down a Patrick Mahomes pass on Kansas City’s two-point attempt that could have tied the game. Without that play, the outcome might have been different. The Chargers went on to beat the Chiefs 27-21 in São Paulo.After the win, Teair Tart fueled the fire on social media. He posted “Hold dis L” on X, which instantly went viral with Chargers fans celebrating and Chiefs fans raging.

On Instagram, he doubled down by sharing the meme “what did the five fingers say to the face.”The slap on Travis Kelce will be debated all week, but the facts remain. Teair Tart struck Kelce with an open hand, officials flagged it as unnecessary roughness, and the Chargers defensive tackle was allowed to finish the game.Social media only added fuel to the controversy. One viral post read: “When spit last night gets you ejected but a full swing to a head doesn’t because it wasn’t a fist?? This is INSANE. You know why it wasn’t a fist? Cus a fist to a helmet would hurt the attacker more!”Another fan simply summed it up: “Travis Kelce getting b*tch slapped in 2025.” The phrasing spread quickly, becoming part of the week’s NFL conversation.Read more: Will Patrick Mahomes play against the Los Angeles Chargers tonight? Latest injury update on the Kansas City Chiefs QB