The Kansas City Chiefs edged out the Indianapolis Colts 23–20 in overtime, completing a resilient comeback after entering the fourth quarter down by 11 points. Patrick Mahomes delivered a season-high 352 passing yards, orchestrating the crucial drives that fueled the comeback.

Travis Kelce contributed 4 catches for 43 yards, but one other thing this game stood out for was that both these athletes were involved in incidents that could have led to fines by the NFL. 

On the Chiefs’ first-quarter drive, Kelce appeared to score on a direct snap and run into the end zone, which should have been a touchdown. But the score was wiped out because Kelce's teammate, Jawaan Taylor, was penalized for a facemask penalty. 

Now, if it were Taylor's first penalty, he could have received a fine from the NFL $11,593. A second offense with a face mask penalty, the Chiefs star could have been fined $17,389. Thankfully, none of that happened. After the NFL announced the full list of fines from Week 12, it revealed that Taylor escaped any penalties.

With 4:38 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes attempted a pass to tight end Robert Tonyan, but the pass fell incomplete. Immediately after releasing the ball, Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart hit Mahomes and drove him to the ground with his full body weight.

Officials threw a flag for roughing the passer, awarding the Chiefs 15 yards and a first down. Now, as per rules, players can earn a $17,389 fine for roughing the passer, and the amount can be increased to $23,186 for a second offense in the same season, but ultimately, Stewart was not fined. However, the man on the receiving end of Stewart's hit has been in a similar situation earlier this season.

Patrick Mahomes Was Almost Fined Earlier

The Kansas City Chiefs' win against the Detroit Lions in Week 6 almost left a sour taste, despite the success. Patrick Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three passing touchdowns and also scored a rushing touchdown, got in trouble for his celebration. During the touchdown that put the Chiefs ahead 13–10 just before halftime, Mahomes celebrated by spinning the ball, pointing toward Brian Branch, wiping his jersey, and flexing his biceps.

Under NFL rules, specifically the unsportsmanlike‑conduct/taunting policy, such gestures, if directed at an opponent, can be penalized or result in fines. However, he avoided the fine, which led to debate. However, another Arrowhead teammate wasn't as lucky as Mahomes during the Colts game.

Cornerback Trent McDuffie was fined $11,593 for unnecessary roughness after grabbing rookie tight end Tyler Warren’s facemask during a tackle. It was a play that went unpenalized during the Colts' game. Offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia also received an $8,108 fine for a blindside block that bulldozed Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward, putting him at unnecessary risk.

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi