Former Texas Longhorns cornerback Kris Boyd is under fire after pushing Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross during the team’s divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday. Kansas City won the game 23-14, securing a spot in the AFC Championship.
The incident occurred when Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio broke through the Texans’ coverage and started a run towards the end zone. Boyd managed to catch up with him and went to the sidelines to celebrate the fumble. However, Boyd was unaware that the Chiefs had recovered the fumble.
Boyd shoved Ross on the sidelines and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after removing and throwing his helmet. This resulted in a 15-yard penalty for the Texans.
Boyd was criticized on social media, with many assuming the shove was out of frustration. However, Boyd explained to reporters afterward that it was a gesture of excitement, not anger. Regardless, the penalty negatively impacted the Texans.
Boyd, who played at Texas from 2015 to 2019 and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round, had spent four seasons with the Vikings and part of a season with the Arizona Cardinals. He joined the Texans in his second season, starting on the practice squad.
After the incident, Boyd returned to the field on the very first play, but the Texans were trailing 13-6 at halftime. He was seen back on the field after Ka’imi Fairbairn’s successful field goal briefly tied the game.
