An underrated moment in an eventful NFL season opener between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs occurred early in the fourth quarter, when Patrick Mahomes ran toward the sideline.
The result of the play was a first attempt and, later, a wish for revenge.
As Mahomes went out of bounds on a third-and-3 attempt with 11 minutes, 34 seconds left in the game, he was met by Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. The resulting contact saw Mahomes fall to the ground, but without a penalty for a late hit.
A Chiefs player, tight end Peyton Hendershot, took exception to the contact and shoved Smith from behind, leading to a minor scuffle.
Another angle:
The play ended up being a footnote in a 27-20 Chiefs victory that saw the Ravens come close to tying the game and attempting a game-winning two-point conversion at the end of regulation. There was plenty to talk about after the game, Smith made sure everyone knew it he did not forget his meeting with Hendershot:
“Oh, (Mahomes) missed his shot. Yeah, he missed his shot. That’s why the refs didn’t blow the whistle. It was a very good call by the ref. But whoever No. 88 is, I don’t know who he is, but he better watch out. He made a little slick push. Whoever No. 88 is, I have no idea who he is, but I’ll see him when I see him.”
Hendershot is part of the Chiefs’ 53-man roster but was not active for Thursday’s game. Smith appears hopeful that he will be on the field if these two teams meet again.
The Chiefs acquired Hendershot last week in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys, returning a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Smith finished the game with seven tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and the game’s only interception. This isn’t the first time minor but controversial drama has broken out between the Ravens and Chiefs.