Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was ejected for his hit on Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton. Charlie Riedel / Associated Press
Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was ejected in the fourth quarter of his team’s 16-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs for an illegal hit on receiver Tyquan Thornton.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes found Thornton for a 21-yard gain up the middle. Jefferson made helmet-to-helmet contact during the tackle, and flags were flown immediately for a personal foul. The Chiefs said later that Thornton was in concussion protocol.
A skirmish ensued after the initial hit, with players from both teams shoving. Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh came onto the field to break it up. It was after that skirmish that the referees decided to eject Jefferson as opposed to just calling a personal foul. After the ejection announcement, Jefferson removed his helmet and walked into the tunnel, throwing up two middle fingers toward the Arrowhead Stadium crowd.
“I do want to apologize for the gesture I made to the Chiefs fans,” Jefferson said after the game. “I was caught up in the moment. I’m much more classier than that. Kind of just blacked out a little bit. But I haven’t seen the play. I don’t really play to be a dirty player, so I always feel like I try to put myself in position to make the plays and hits that are clean. So I have to take a look at it. I don’t necessarily think, personally, that it was that bad, but again, I’ll have to see it.”
Jefferson exited the game with two tackles and two assists, plus one pass defended.
Harbaugh disagreed with the call to eject Jefferson.
“I saw a football play,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what I saw. I was told that was the ruling. New York saw it as an ejection, so the message to our team was, ‘Just keep playing ball. Just keep playing.’ … Our guys were playing ball, and they didn’t let that emotionally hijack us.”
