Chiefs' JuJu Smith-Schuster Bracing for NFL Punishment After Incident Against Chargers
The season is over for JuJu Smith-Schuster and the Kansas City Chiefs after their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The Chiefs still have three games left in the regular season, but Sunday’s defeat officially eliminated them from playoff contention after falling to 6-8.
There was no shortage of action in the high-stakes contest, with both teams looking to come out on top. At one point in the contest, Smith-Schuster was involved in a contentious incident that led to a penalty against the Chiefs. The NFL will now review the incident and decide whether the Pro Bowl wideout’s actions will warrant punishment.
Smith-Schuster had another quiet outing for the Chiefs. The 29-year-old logged zero receptions after being targeted just once throughout the game. To make matters worse for the Super Bowl-winning wide receiver, he could now be facing a fine from the NFL after an incident in the loss.
Smith-Schuster was flagged for a personal foul at the 14:10 mark of the fourth quarter. This was after he hit Chargers safety Tony Jefferson with a tackle that was assessed as an illegal blindside block.
Smith-Schuster was called for the infraction as he tried to provide protection for teammate Tyquan Thornton , who secured a 31-yard gain on the play after catching a pass from Patrick Mahomes . However, the first down was called off because of Smith-Schuster’s foul, which led to a 15-yard penalty against the Chiefs.
Kansas City failed to score on the drive. Mahomes was picked off by Daiyan Henley at the Chargers’ one-yard line, resulting in a crucial turnover for the Chiefs.
According to the NFL rulebook , a blindside block is when “a player initiates a block when his path is toward or parallel to his own end line and makes forcible contact to his opponent.” The infraction results in a 15-yard penalty.
The NFL Officiating Department will now review this incident for potential punishment. A first offense is eligible for a fine of $17,389 and $23,186 for a second. For context, Smith-Schuster has already been fined once this season. He was docked $7,903 for a low block in a game against the Baltimore Ravens .
Smith-Schuster will need to wait for the NFL’s decision, which will be announced via the gameday accountability report on Saturday.
Related: NFL Facing Punishment Decision After Ejection in Chiefs, Chargers Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
