The NFL has set up shop in Brazil, and that means all the biggest stars of football are making headlines south of the equator. That includes Travis Kelce, whose Kansas City Chiefs took the field in São Paulo on Friday night only for Kelce to take a direct shot to the face that left him reeling.
During the team’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Kelce was smacked in the face by Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart. The moment came after Kelce shoved Tart in the midst of a play. Despite the heated moment, Tart was not ejected from the game and play continued as normal.
Video Playback Shows a Direct Shot
While Kelce took the brunt of the punishment, video shows him initiating contact with Tart first, giving the defensive tackle a hard shove. Tart responded quickly, striking Kelce in the face with his hand.
Teair Tart throwing HANDS at Travis Kelce. He wasn’t ejected for this, surprisingly. pic.twitter.com/ZO2Ftq7d6L
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) September 6, 2025
Tart Drops Chappelle Show Reference
Soon after the game, Tart offered a comedic response on his Instagram story, referencing the classic Chappelle Show skit where Dave Chappelle played musician Rick James. “What did the five fingers say to the face? Slap!” Chappelle’s James declares before striking Charlie Murphy across the face. Thus far, Kelce hasn’t offered a response of his own.
Teair Tart’s instagram story 💀😂 pic.twitter.com/X1SOOer3Hm
— Amb ⚡️👸🏻 (@ambowski) September 6, 2025
Chiefs Lose to Chargers
It was a rough game all around for Kelce, as his team fell to the Chargers 21-27, snapping Los Angeles’ seven-game losing streak. He did manage one touchdown, however, marking his first of the season and meaning things weren’t a total loss for him. His new fiancé Taylor Swift was not present, although she wasn’t expected to attend the game in Brazil.
