Tyreek Hill‘s helmet came off after the Chiefs receiver somersaulted into the end zone for a 54-yard touchdown with 12:48 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The question is: Did he do it in celebration?
Taking off a helmet in the field of play is unsportsmanlike conduct and should result in a 15-yard penalty. Officials did not throw a flag on Hill.
The Chiefs elected to go for two points, and Patrick Mahomes completed a pass to Mecole Hardman to tie the game at 17. If officials had called a penalty, the Chargers could have elected to enforce the penalty on the Chiefs’ try. That would have forced a 17-yard two-point try or a 48-yard extra point.
“The referees are human beings,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “They missed it. I told them that he took his helmet off. They missed that one. Those refs, they did an outstanding job. I thought they called a really good game. It was very competitive on both sides, but they missed that one.”
Hill, though, said he did not purposely remove his helmet, but that it started coming off as he hit the ground.
“I promise you I did not take my helmet off,” Hill said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.
Hill added, via Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, “I would never do that.”