Why Teair Tart Wasn’t Ejected For Hitting Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
The NFL opener on Thursday night saw an ejection right as the game was getting underway. Many NFL fans were waiting for a second ejection in two nights as Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart struck Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in the third quarter of the game on Friday.
Tart was charged with a big penalty in the game for the Chiefs, but was allowed to stay in the game.
That left many curious as to why he was not removed from the game and allowed back in. A long-time NFL official, Terry McAulay, discussed the situation and gave a great explanation on why he was not disqualified.
https://x.com/awfulannouncing/status/1964151249957183968
McAulay went on record:
"According to Walt Anderson, they said because it was an open hand contact to the head, that was not a disqualifying action."
While the rule book is one that many common fans do not understand, this seemed like a punch, but according to the NFL, it is more of a slap, and that is not something that can cause an ejection. Regardless, much like Thursday night's ejection, it was an action that caused the team an unfortunate situation.
Ironically, Tart staying in the game was a big deal, as he was able to get that exact "open hand" on a Mahomes pass that would have led to the two-point conversion to tie the game at 20 in the fourth quarter.
The two-point conversion came on a Travis Kelce touchdown, which was his first of the season, and just his second reception.
The Kansas City Chiefs head home and host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, while the Los Angeles Chargers are on the road for another game, this time with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football.
Aaron Glenn just proved the Jets are looking forward not backwards
The New York Jets are like a dog constantly chasing its own tail. They just run in circles and circles.... and more circles, continually chasing something that feels so close yet always proves futile. Their entire history is simply marinating in drama and embarrassment, with almost no reprieve... ever.
Once they think they've cleared rock bottom, the ground gives out and makes way for more rock bottom. From Brett Favre’s torn biceps debacle to Mark Sanchez’s flameout, from Week 17 in 2016 when Ryan Fitzpatrick unraveled the season to the Adam Gase era, to the Zach Wilson years, and then a torn Achilles for Aaron Rodgers, it somehow always gets worse.
But in one simple yet telling quote, new head coach Aaron Glenn made a clear statement about the direction of the Jets franchise. Despite all the "want to throw your eyes in the garbage" level of ugliness in recent years, the new Jets are moving steadfastly, with eyes strictly on what's ahead.
The Jets remain focused on the road, not the rearview
It's not as if all the key pieces of the Aaron Rodgers era are gone. Plenty of core players remain. It's also not as if the players who were unceremoniously kicked to the curb intentionally caused any issues. Most of last year's drama was the fault of the franchise.
But the truth is, the difference in atmosphere from 2024 to 2025 is staggering. It's like a new planet in Florham Park. The team is slowly, but surely, crawling out of last year's wreckage on its hands and knees. But they are moving ahead. And when Aaron Glenn was asked, for the three hundred billionth time, about Aaron Rodgers, he did not hesitate to make his thoughts crystal clear.
"That's been gone, so I'm not going to answer questions about guys that aren't here... It's not relevant to right now."
Aaron Glenn
He did not take the bait. He was asked more specifically about what he saw on tape from Aaron Rodgers last season. The only purpose it serves Glenn to open his mouth about the former Jets' QB is to start a war of words that you know Rodgers would love to engage in.
Whatever he thinks of Rodgers on film is between him, his coaches, and his players. Other than that, any additional talk is just another excuse to hark back to last season.
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) September 2, 2025Aaron Glenn doesn't want to revisit the Aaron Rodgers decision. Asked about what he saw on film last season, Glenn said: "That's been gone, so I'm not going to answer questions about guys that aren't here and what I saw...It's not relevant to right now."
He did offer some…
Did Glenn totally discount Aaron Rodgers as if he's not a threat? Of course not. That's not what this is about. It's not about disrespecting an all-time great. It's about remaining focused on the present. He acknowledged that Rodgers is "a Hall of Fame player," who will "cause problems no matter what."
It's all too easy to get sucked into focusing on the Jets' depressing past. It's painted the team's existence. But curses, jinxes, bad "juju," and all other illogical sports superstitions exist until they don't.
Someone had to be Terry Francona and lead the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series title. Someone had to be a kid from Akron who finally brought his hometown Cavs a championship in 2016.
It takes a special kind of person to turn around a ship that has been lost at sea forever. But those who successfully pull off such a feat don't do so by looking backward.
