Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday that cornerback Kris Boyd didn’t push special teams coach Frank Ross in a “disrespectful manner” after he nearly shoved him to the ground following the opening kickoff of the team’s divisional playoff loss to the Chiefs this past weekend.
Ryans said after the game that he hadn’t seen the push before addressing it Monday.
“I don’t think he was pushing Frank in a disrespectful manner,” Ryans said. “I think it was more so he was fired up, overly fired up and thought he made a play to help us. So that narrative that he’s pushing a coach — that’s incorrect.”
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The Texans kicked off and Chiefs returner Nikko Remigio had broken through their coverage, hitting the open field and racing toward the end zone. Boyd caught him and stripped the ball loose, ran toward Houston’s sideline and celebrated the fumble by ripping off his helmet and sending it skittering toward the bench.
Unfortunately for Boyd and the Texans, the Chiefs recovered the fumble.
It was a fact Boyd only realized as he neared the sideline, after his helmet was off and the penalty flag had been thrown.
Boyd proceeded to shove Ross on the sideline and ultimately was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for taking off his helmet.
Boyd said after the game that he was “just too excited” and that he apologized to Ross for letting his emotions get the best of him.
Though Ryans downplayed Boyd’s push of Ross, he reiterated Monday that the sixth-year pro has to handle himself better to avoid costly penalties.
“He came over with the excitement, overly excited that he made a play, but we can’t lose our minds in that sense of taking our helmet off,” Ryans said. “We still have to remain poised, right. We cannot take a helmet off in a game, everyone knows and understands the rules.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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