KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a tense moment during the divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Kris Boyd, a cornerback for the Texans, nearly knocked over Houston’s special teams coach, Frank Ross, right after the opening kickoff.
The Texans had just kicked off when Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio broke through Houston’s coverage, sprinting toward the end zone. Boyd managed to catch up with him, dislodging the ball and then celebrating by removing his helmet and sending it skidding onto the bench as he ran toward the Texans’ sideline.
However, the celebration was premature, as Kansas City managed to recover the fumble. Boyd recounted the incident post-game, explaining, “I got the ball out, and as I’m getting up, I look at the screen and see nothing but white (the Texans’ colors) while they’re all pointing in that direction.” He mistakenly believed that the Texans had secured possession of the football, leading him to exuberantly celebrate what he thought was a forced turnover.
Boyd was soon corrected by a teammate about the situation, as a penalty flag was thrown and it was revealed that the Chiefs retained possession. In the heat of the moment, he shoved Coach Ross on the sideline, which resulted in a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct due to taking off his helmet.
“I was just too excited and did something I shouldn’t have done. It’s a lesson learned,” Boyd acknowledged. He expressed that he needs to keep his helmet on during such emotional moments.
He clarified that he is not the kind of player to disrespect anyone, stating, “I love Frank,” and added, “I’m a God-fearing man and I respect everyone in that building.” Boyd extended apologies to everyone involved for allowing his emotions to overwhelm him.
“Frank told me, ‘Hey, listen, don’t worry about that. We had a whole ballgame to play,’ but I just wanted to get my point across. I’m not that type of person,” he reflected.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans did not witness the altercation between Boyd and Ross. However, he expressed disappointment about Boyd’s actions, noting, “What I saw is we can’t come out on the first play and throw our helmet. That’s not what we teach, and it’s not what we’re about at all.”
