Chiefs Awaiting NFL Punishment Decision on Dak Prescott Incident

The Cowboys entered Thursday’s game with a 5-5-1 record and behind back-to-back wins. The playoffs are still somewhat within reach for Dallas, but a loss against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving will set them back significantly.

The 6-5 Chiefs, on the other hand, are also coming off a big win. They snapped their two-game losing skid with a 23-20 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Mahomes and Co. are also fighting to stay alive in the playoff race.

A rather controversial moment transpired in the second quarter of Thursday’s contest. At second-and-7 at the Dallas 18-yard line, Prescott threw an incomplete pass. After releasing the ball, however, the three-time Pro Bowler took a big hit from Chiefs rookie defensive end Ashton Gillotte. No flag was thrown on the play, but Prescott had a lot to say to the game official after the incident.

According to the NFL rulebook, a roughing the passer penalty is called when any physical act against a player in a passing posture is deemed unwarranted by the referees. It carries an automatic 15-yard penalty and a first down.

The referees did not call a roughing the passer penalty on Gillotte, but the rookie is not out of the woods just yet. The NFL Officiating Department reviews every play from every game, and this incident could draw significant attention.

A roughing the passer violation is eligible for a $17,389 fine for a first offense and $23,186 for a second offense. Gillotte has not been fined by the NFL this season. Gillotte and the Chiefs will now need to wait for the league’s potential punishment decision, which will be announced via the gameday accountability report.

Thursday’s Thanksgiving showdown has been a tightly contested affair thus far. As of writing, the Cowboys are up 17-14 at the halftime break.