The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 16–13 on Sunday, but a fourth-quarter ejection placed one defensive player under league scrutiny.
The call came late, removed a key piece from the Chargers’ secondary, and shifted attention away from the final score. The play will be reviewed by the NFL and could result in further discipline.
The win carried significance beyond the ejection. Los Angeles improved to 10–4, eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention, and did it at Arrowhead Stadium. For a division that has revolved around the Chiefs for nearly a decade, the result marked a clear shift.
The Chargers didn’t overwhelm Kansas City offensively, but they controlled the margins, leaned on their defense, and stayed disciplined in a game where every late decision carried weight.
After the game, head coach Jim Harbaugh addressed the ejection.
Harbaugh’s View of the Ejection
GettyLos Angeles Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh
“I saw a football play,” Harbaugh said. “That was the ruling from New York. The message to our team was to keep playing ball.”
Chargers safety Tony Jefferson was ejected after a hit on Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton as the margin tightened in the fourth quarter. Jefferson had been one of the Chargers’ most physical defenders throughout the game before his removal.
Harbaugh did not frame the moment as a lapse in discipline. Instead, he focused on how the defense responded once the call was made.
“Our guys were playing ball…they didn’t let that emotionally hijack us.”
It was a measured response, and one consistent with how Harbaugh has approached physical play throughout the season.
Chargers Adjust Late on Defense
Jefferson’s ejection forced immediate adjustments in the secondary. The Chargers entered the game without Elijah Molden, and R.J. Mickens exited earlier with a shoulder injury, leaving the group thin at a critical point.
Even so, the defense held.
Los Angeles generated stops in the fourth quarter and prevented Kansas City from finding rhythm late. The Chargers closed the game with an interception on the final drive, sealing what was one of their steadier defensive performances of the season.
It was not seamless. It was controlled.
That control mattered. Kansas City was kept in front, forced to operate in compressed windows, and prevented from generating the explosive play it needed to flip the game late.
The Chargers sealed the win with a fourth-quarter interception, eliminating the Chiefs from postseason contention.
League Review Expected for Jefferson
Jefferson is expected to be reviewed by the league and could face a fine. Harbaugh’s comments, however, suggest the Chargers do not view the play as an internal disciplinary issue.
The focus was the response, not the ruling.
Why This Moment Matters for the Chargers
Coming out of the bye, the Chargers have navigated one of the league’s more demanding stretches and continued to close games when conditions become unsettled. Sunday added another example.
The call stood. The response followed. And in a game that reshaped the division, that response mattered.
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