Texans HC DeMeco Ryans condemns Kris Boyd outburst, coach shove

Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made clear that the actions of cornerback Kris Boyd in Saturday’s AFC Divisonal Round playoff game were unacceptable. Facing the Kansas City Chiefs, Boyd let his emotions get the better of him after giving up a big return on the opening kickoff.

The Texans cornerback not only took his helmet off and threw it in frustration, but also shoved special teams coach Frank Ross afterward. Speaking postgame following a 23-14 loss, Ryans didn’t mince words about Boyd’s actions.

“We can’t come out in the first play and throw our helmet,” he said. “We understand that’s silly. That’s not what we teach. That’s not what we’re about at all. So for us to be here in this moment and to throw our helmet, we know the rules and know we can’t do that. It just puts the team in a negative light to start the game. We give up a big return and we take our helmet off and then add 15 more yards to the play. Just not smart football.”

The big return plus the penalty set the Chiefs up at the Texans 13-yard line for the opening drive. Houston was able to hold them to a field goal, but is certainly wasn’t the tone it wanted to start off the game.

Ultimately, Kansas City would go on to win by a score of 23-14 to advance to the AFC Championship. Boyd returned to the game after the shove of Ross and continued to play the rest of the way.

Speaking postgame, the cornerback offered some clarification on the incident. He explained that he believed he had forced a fumble and didn’t realize that the Chiefs had recovered the ball, so the shove to Ross was actually out of excitement.

“I was just too excited,” he said. “Did something that I shouldn’t have done. I shouldn’t have done it. Keep my helmet on. …I was turnt. First play, they thought they broke it and had a big play and I got the ball out. As I’m getting up and I look at the screen, I see ‘number white’ and they all pointing that way. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, we got the ball!’

“I was just turnt. You’ll see. I was running over to everybody getting ready to shake their hand, but then someone grabbed me and was like, ‘Nah, that’s not good. We got a flag and it’s their ball.’”

Boyd would go on to explain that he and Ross worked out what happened and there is no love lost between the two. He ends the season with eight tackles and one fumble recovery while having played in every game for the Texans.