Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, left, and Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes talk briefly after Sunday’s game in Kansas City, Mo. The Bills won 20-17. Ed Zurga/Associated Press
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs yelled at the game officials and spiked his helmet Sunday late in a 20-17 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills.
Those actions were unlike anything fans had seen from Mahomes during his six seasons as the starting quarterback. Mahomes was contrite in a radio appearance Monday.
“Obviously you don’t want to react that way. I mean, I care, man. I love it. I love this game,” Mahomes said. “I love my teammates and I want to go out there and put everything on the line to win. But obviously can’t do that. I mean, you can’t be that way toward officials and really anybody in life. So I probably regret acting like that.”
Mahomes told Bills quarterback Josh Allen the call, an offside call against wide receiver Kadarius Toney that negated a late touchdown, was the wildest he’d ever seen and walked away after the brief meeting of quarterbacks. There was an expletive in there, too. Mahomes was remorseful about that interaction.
“More than anything, I regretted just the way I acted toward Josh after the game because he had nothing to do with it,” Mahomes said. “I was still hot and emotional. But can’t do that, man. It’s not a great example for kids watching the game, so I was more upset about that than I was about me on the sidelines.”
Mahomes said he’s seen the replay and if Toney didn’t consult with the official to make sure he was lined up properly, the penalty was justified.
“If he didn’t check and they weren’t good, I guess it is a foul,” Mahomes said. “It’s just something that you rarely see called in the NFL … but it was a foul. So I mean, it’s part of playing the game, man, just learn from it. Part of being a person (is) that you learn from your mistakes and try to be better the next time.”
RAVENS: Malik Cunningham was signed off the Patriots’ practice squad by Baltimore, adding to its depth at quarterback and wide receiver.
Cunningham, undrafted out of Louisville, figured to give the Patriots a spark on offense while adding another option at the struggling quarterback position. The 25-year-old played in one game this season but took just one snap.
He never was able to show his full potential while in New England, and Patriots offensive tackle Trent Brown is hopeful Cunningham will “flourish” in Baltimore.
“Go flourish where your talent is respected little bradda,” Brown wrote on his Instagram story with a picture of Cunningham.
Cunningham joins a Ravens team atop the AFC North with their eyes on a lengthy postseason. The Patriots, meanwhile, were officially eliminated Sunday – the earliest since 2000 – and look poised for a high draft pick in 2024.
CHARGERS: Quarterback Justin Herbert had surgery on his broken index finger on his right hand and will miss the remaining four games this season.
Herbert visited two hand specialists Monday after suffering the injury during the second quarter of the 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Easton Stick will get his first NFL start Thursday night at Las Vegas against the Raiders. The Chargers are 5-8 and have dropped four of their past five. Stick will be only the fourth Chargers starting quarterback since 2006 (Herbert, Phillip Rivers, Tyrod Taylor).
VIKINGS: Coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Nick Mullens will start Saturday at Cincinnati after relieving an ineffective Joshua Dobbs last week and helping lead the Vikings to a 3-0 victory at Las Vegas.
Mullens is the fourth different starter for the Vikings. They’ve never used that many in the same season before in franchise history. Mullens has 17 career starts in the NFL, including eight each in the 2018 and 2020 seasons with San Francisco as an injury fill-in for Jimmy Garoppolo.
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