Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been fined more than $14,000 for pantomiming what the NFL deemed a “violent gesture” during a game last week against the Buffalo Bills.
Videos and pictures circulating online show the Super Bowl winner putting his hands up seemingly in a gun or rifle shooting gesture during the fourth quarter of the Nov. 17 game. The Bills won the game 30-21.
The NFL classed the gesture as “unsportsmanlike conduct,” and fined Mahomes $14,069. The football league would not comment further on the decision.
“To protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity, the NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on a set of game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures,” the NFL said on its website documenting fines against their athletes.
A representative for Mahomes did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This isn’t the first time Mahomes has been fined for unsportsmanlike conduct during a game against the Buffalo Bills. Last December, he was fined $50,000 for yelling at and criticizing officials during a game.
Mahomes accepted the consequences of his actions and said he would learn from the decision, ESPN reported.
Off the field both Mahomes and star tight end Travis Kelce were the targets of recent home burglaries that prompted both the NFL and NBA to issue warnings to their respective athletes about personal safety measures.
