Teair Tart isn't mincing words—or holding back his fists. The Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle escalated his feud with Travis Kelce, unleashing a verbal barb on Instagram just a day after slapping the Kansas City Chiefs tight end squarely in the face during their high-stakes clash in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, Sept. 5. The Chargers’ 27-21 victory over their AFC West rivals now carries an extra layer of drama, thanks to Tart’s post-game antics.
The 28-year-old defensive lineman took to social media with a cryptic caption, paired with game-day photos, videos, and a meme-worthy clip from the cult stoner comedy *How High*—specifically, a scene where a character gets slapped across the face. “I’m too swift with it even in Brazil…” Tart wrote, a phrase that commenters swiftly (and suspiciously) linked to Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift. The timing, mere days after the power couple announced their engagement on Aug. 26, did not go unnoticed.
Swifties—Taylor Swift’s devoted fanbase—flooded Tart’s post with scathing rebukes. “Nice attempt at being relevant by putting down a widely successful woman,” one user fired back. Another jabbed, “Taylor Swift has more Super Bowls than your team btw,” referencing Swift’s attendance at the 2024 Super Bowl (where Kelce’s Chiefs triumphed) compared to the Chargers’ decades-long championship drought. “Crazy how you finally made headlines… for slapping, not sacking,” quipped a third, while a fourth accused Tart of “ragbaiting an entire fanbase with a caption.”
The incident erupted in the third quarter, following a two-yard run by Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt. With just over eight minutes remaining, Tart delivered an open-hand strike to Kelce’s facemask, drawing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Referees, however, stopped short of ejecting him, with *The Sporting News* reporting that the slap didn’t meet the threshold for a “disqualifying action.” Former NFL referee Terry McAulay, serving as YouTube’s rules analyst during the livestream, clarified that Tart’s gesture—“open hand contact to the head”—was distinct from a closed-fist punch, sparing him an early exit.
The penalty handed the Chiefs prime field position at the Chargers’ 11-yard line. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes capitalized, scrambling 11 yards for a touchdown that trimmed Kansas City’s deficit to 13-12. Harrison Butker, however, missed the ensuing extra point. Kelce later ignited the crowd with a 37-yard touchdown catch—his first of the 2025 season—celebrating with a signature victory dance and a bull-mimicking routine in the end zone. Yet, the Chargers held firm, securing a 1-0 start to the season and leaving the Chiefs (and their fans) stewing over what could’ve been.
For Tart, the slap heard ’round the NFL became both a moment of infamy and a catalyst for debate. Was it a calculated jab at Swift’s cultural dominance? A heat-of-the-moment lapse? Either way, the Chargers’ defensive standout has ensured his name will linger in headlines—for better or worse—long after the final whistle.
