Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was ejected Sunday night for throwing a punch against Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon.
The Chiefs lost 27-19 against the Chiefs at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.
Pacheco lost his cool with less than a minute to play as Kansas City trailed 27-19 against Green Bay. The Chiefs were facing 1st-and-10 at the Packers’ 45 when quarterback Patrick Mahomes found wide receiver Rashee Rice for exactly 10 yards.
The ball squirted out of Rice’s hands as he was taken down from behind. Packers cornerback Corey Ballentine recovered what was initially ruled a fumbled ball and took it all the way to the end zone. During the sequence, Pacheco threw a punch at Nixon.
Isiah Pacheco punch; Chiefs pic.twitter.com/etBs66Ty2V
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) December 4, 2023
The NBC broadcast just barely caught Pacheco throwing a left hook that led to the Chief being disqualified from the contest.
The good news for the Chiefs was that the initial fumble call was overturned. Rice was spotted down on contact. The bad news was that Pacheco’s punch resulted in a 15-yard penalty that moved them back to the middle of the field.
The Chiefs would have otherwise been at the Packers’ 35 with a fresh set of downs. Instead, Mahomes went 2/7 during the remaining two series as he desperately tried — and failed — to generate a potential game-tying touchdown.
Pacheco rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries with 1 touchdown. He was just 5 yards shy of his career-high in rushing yards, which he also achieved on Sunday night back in Week 4 against the New York Jets.
