Kingsley Suamataia
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OL Kingsley Suamataia of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Charvarius Ward’s 2025 season with the Indianapolis Colts almost took a frightening turn before he could fully settle back into the starting lineup.
Late in the team’s Week 12 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Ward stayed down longer than anyone in Indianapolis wanted to see after taking a blindside shot from tackle Kingsley Suamataia.
“I was scared, I was on the ground,” Ward who suffered a severe concussion earlier this season, said about the hit he took courtesy of Suamataia. “I was nervous that if I got up, I would start stumbling, I probably be out for the season, something like that had happened. So I laid on the ground a little bit kind of gain my composure. And luckily, I kind of just got the wind knocked out of me.”
It was a play the NFL will very likely fine Suamataia for.
“OL Kingsley Suamataia will surely be fined by the NFL for this illegal blindside block on #Colts CB Charvarius Ward Sr. in the fourth quarter of yesterday’s game,” The Athletic’s James Boyd wrote on X on November 24. Fortunately, as Ward said in his postgame media session, the hit was more so to his chest than head.”
Ward Has Had a Rough Go of it This Season
Indianapolis signed Ward to a three-year, $54 million deal with $35 million guaranteed back in March, but his 2025 campaign veered off script almost immediately. Week 6, during pregame warmups against the Arizona Cardinals, he collided with tight end Drew Ogletree and suffered a concussion. Symptoms lingered long enough that Ward questioned whether he would play again this year.
The Colts placed him on injured reserve on October 18, and he missed five games before getting activated.
With Ward now lining up opposite newly acquired star Sauce Gardner, the Colts’ secondary has the flexibility to rotate coverages and challenge quarterbacks in ways it hasn’t in recent years. Indy just needs the duo to stay healthy.
More on Chiefs Ol Kingsley Suamataia Likely Getting Fined for Hit on Colts CB Charvarius Ward
Charvarius Ward
GettyChiefs OL Kingsley Suamataia will likely be fined for his blindside hit on Indianapolis Colts CB Charvarius Ward.
Suamataia is almost certain to draw attention from the league for his hit on Ward, and a substantial fine is the likely outcome. Suamataia came back toward his own end zone to deliver a shoulder-led hit on the Colts DB, who was pursuing the ball and had no ability to defend himself. On-field officials flagged the infraction immediately, which typically triggers an automatic review by the league’s discipline department the following week.
Based on recent precedent, Suamataia’s fine would likely fall in the range of $15,000 to $25,000 for a first offense, depending on whether the league views the hit as forcible, avoidable or egregious.
The league has increasingly emphasized player safety in these situations, particularly when head or neck exposure is involved, and Ward’s injury history could elevate the seriousness with which the league evaluates Suamataia’s actions.
While a suspension is extremely unlikely—these types of plays almost never result in one without prior history or clear malicious intent—the league could also choose to issue a conduct warning to the Chiefs OL, along with the fine. Ward staying down and the medical staff rushing onto the field are details that usually make it into the league’s internal report.
Regardless of punishment, it was a scary moment for the Colts corner, who fortunately wasn’t seriously hurt by Suamataia’s hit.