By Samantha Chang September 6, 2024 at 5:46am
It’s that time of year again. NFL season is back, and so is the trash-talking.
On Thursday, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith threatened Kansas City Chiefs tight end Peyton Hendershot, saying he’d “better watch himself” after the two almost got into a scuffle on the sidelines during the season opener.
The incident unfolded in the fourth quarter, when Smith shoved Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes after the latter ran out of bounds.
The push caused Mahomes to fall to the ground.
However, no penalty was called for what many saw as a blatant out-of-bounds late hit.
Clear as day late hit by Roquan Smith on Patrick Mahomes, not called pic.twitter.com/5r3Zpjga86 https://t.co/Y8SoTpvDh3
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) September 6, 2024
Hendershot — who was standing on the sidelines and not in uniform — tepidly pushed Smith after the linebacker shoved Mahomes.
Meanwhile, a shoving match ignited between the two teams on the football field.
Do you think Roquan Smith is in the wrong?
After the game, Smith was asked about the incident. He said Mahomes “flopped,” so the referees made the right call to not penalize him.
“He flopped. Yeah, he flopped,” Smith told reporters. “That’s why the referees didn’t call it. That was a great no-call by the ref.”
Then Smith took aim at Henderson.
WOW… #Ravens Roquan Smith MAKES A THREAT TO #Chiefs TE Peyton Hendershot for sticking up for his QB.
“I’LL SEE HIM… He BETTER WATCH HIMSELF.“
SMITH ALSO SAID MAHOMES FLOPPED ON THE SIDELINE 😳
(h/t 33rdteam)
pic.twitter.com/Aix9gNmctR— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 6, 2024
Smith suggested he’s upset at Henderson for shoving him in apparent retaliation after the linebacker pushed Mahomes.
“Whoever [number] 88 is — I don’t know who he is — but he better watch himself. He did a little slick push,” Smith said. “I’ll see him when I see him.”
(In total fairness to Smith, Hendershot broke one of the unspoken rules of organized football: If you’re not in uniform, the only reason to ever touch an opposing player is to help them up.)
In the end, Kansas City beat Baltimore 27-20, so Mahomes — and even Chiefs players not in uniform — got the last laugh.
However, that didn’t mean social media was about to let Smith, or the referees, off the hook.
Numerous social media users mocked the referees, suggesting they should have called a penalty on Smith.
That ref that didn’t flag Roquan Smith for the late hit on Mahomes is never working in the NFL again 😂 #BALvsKC
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) September 6, 2024
An X account for Lasik, the corrective eye surgery, joked, “After that call, the NFL is going to mandate LASIK for their referees.”
After that call, the NFL is going to mandate LASIK for their referees 😂
— LASIK.com (@LASIKdotcom) September 6, 2024
Other commenters slammed Roquan Smith as a bad sport with a poor attitude.
He didn’t flop I watched the replay multiple times in slow motion there were two uncalled late hits. Stop crying and play
— Mikey CoinSnatch (@MikeyCoinSnatch) September 6, 2024
Sounds like Smith needs to be fined and suspended for making a threat like that.
— Kevin (@DOLFANKEV) September 6, 2024
“Sounds like Smith needs to be fined and suspended for making a threat like that,” one X user lamented.
As a new NFL season unfolds, here’s to hoping the league stays focused on football and eschew divisive politics.
As crushing inflation, soaring crime waves and daily border invasions roil the nation, we need escapist entertainment now, more than ever.
Samantha Chang is a political commentator, lawyer and financial editor in NYC.
Samantha Chang is a politics writer, lawyer and financial editor based in NYC.
