Cole Bishop walked away clean from his controversial hit on Travis Kelce. The Buffalo Bills safety didn’t appear on the NFL’s Week 9 discipline report despite delivering a tough blow to Kelce’s chest during Buffalo’s 28-27 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on November 2.
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 02: Travis Kelce #87 and Noah Gray #83 of the Kansas City Chiefs take a moment during the NFL 2025 game between Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)Getty Images
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 02: Travis Kelce #87 and Noah Gray #83 of the Kansas City Chiefs take a moment during the NFL 2025 game between Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on November 02, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)Getty Images
The hit forced Kelce to leave the field momentarily during the game. No flag was thrown on the incompletion to Kelce, though Bishop’s actions basically sent a blow to a defenseless player. The NFL reviewed the play but chose not to penalize the safety.
Four Bills players did receive fines this week, just not Bishop. Josh Allen, Christian Benford, Ty Johnson and Elijah Moore all face penalties for actions taken during Week 9 games according to the official NFL report.
The leagueexplains on their website that these penalties exist “to protect players from unnecessary risk and preserve competitive balance and game integrity.” The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed on game-related rules violations that may result in accountability measures.
Funds raised from those fines go to the Professional Athletes Foundation to “support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game,” according to the NFL.
No Kansas City Chiefs players received penalties from the NFL for actions taken in Week 9. The Chiefs now sit at 5-4after the loss, while Buffalo improved to 6-2 following the November 2 contest.
Tensions ran high during the game between two AFC heavyweights. Championship-winning quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen took center stage while each team’s starters meant business on the field.
Kansas City continues their NFL bye week before returning to action in Week 11. The Chiefs face the Denver Broncos on the road on Sunday, November 16.
Denver Broncos Defense Poses Major Threat for Kansas City Chiefs
Denver is coming off a 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, November 6. The low-scoring game was a snoozer, but Denver will be much more tested against Kansas City.
The Broncos’ strong defense presents a serious challenge for the Chiefs. Denver sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith six times during their contest. The Broncos lead the NFL in that category according to NFL research.
Pete Carroll addressed his team’s offensive struggles after the loss. “There’s a lot of factors here. We’ve got to run the ball better against a really hard group tonight. We’ve got to protect better,” the Raiders head coach said. “They’re way out above everybody else rushing the passer and they were able to do it again.”
The Raiders managed just 188 yards of offense against Denver’s suffocating defense. Kansas City must prepare for similar pressure when they face the Broncos in Week 11.
The Chiefs need better protection for Mahomes after their struggles against Buffalo. Denver’s pass rush could create major problems if Kansas City doesn’t address their offensive line issues during the bye week.