It started out so innocently.
In the second quarter of Saturday’s 31-13 defeat of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs formed a rotating circular huddle that resulted in a direct snap to running back Jerick McKinnon — which was then pitched back to quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
A soft penalty negated a touchdown throw to wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid later revealed the play's name was “snow globe.”
Unfortunately, the Chiefs — and their fans — failed to understand the lasting ramifications for a particularly vulnerable population: players who did not actually appear in the game.