A seemingly awkward video from the Super Bowl LIX has ignited fears there was tension in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ locker room over a seemingly awkward interaction between Patrick Mahomes and Samaje Perine prompting the running back to shut that talk down.
The clip shows the 29-year-old quarterback encouraging his teammates during the game, caught the attention of fans who speculated that the star intentionally snubbed Perine, sparking widespread discussion about potential friction between the two players.
Amid growing speculation, Perine took to Instagram to address the situation and calm any concerns as he clarified that the moment had been misinterpreted, explaining that he wasn’t being snubbed by Mahomes.
“Lol I actually stood up to untie my pants string,” Perine said via the Meta-owned social media platform. “No one blamed anybody. It’s not that deep.”
Perine’s response came after some fans suggested that the brief interaction signaled a deeper issue between the two, and given the emotional intensity of the Super Bowl, it was easy for some to jump to conclusions.
But he was quick to set the record straight, emphasizing that there was no ill will between him and Mahomes despite the tough 40-22 defeat in New Orleans against Jalen Hurts’ Philadelphia Eagles.
Perine’s Super Bowl performance itself had been lackluster, with just one carry for eight yards and a missed catch and this only fueled further speculation about Mahomes possibly harboring resentment toward Perine.
Chiefs fans and critics alike began questioning the quarterback’s leadership and whether the perceived moment could indicate tension within the team with some detractors even went as far as labeling Mahomes as a ‘bad’ leader.
When does the NFL return?
The Chiefs will likely not kick-off the NFL season for the first time since 2022 as the Philadelphia Eagles open the show at the Lincoln Financial Field, unless the fixture schedules place Mahomes against Hurts again.
Fans can expect the 2025/26 NFL season to begin on Thursday, September 4. The last time the Eagles were the opening act was in 2018 when they beat the Atlanta Falcons 18-12, in a rematch of their 2017 NFC Divisional game.
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