Chop Robinson said he tried to follow his coaching on the hit that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty against Patrick Mahomes during the Miami Dolphins’ 24-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
The Dolphins edge rusher explained afterward that putting his hands out was what he had been taught to do.
Chop Robinson said he did what he was taught to do (put his hands out) on the hit on Mahomes he was flagged for. https://t.co/cKaPzE9w2u
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) September 27, 2026
Asked what he could have done differently on the third-quarter play, Robinson offered a brief answer.
“I guess I could have put my hands out earlier,” Robinson said.
What could Dolphins pass rusher Chop Robinson had done to avoid a critical roughing the passer call in the third quarter?
“I guess I could have put my hands out earlier,” Robinson said after Miami’s 24-10 loss to the Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/gPgcaj8cBi
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) September 27, 2026
His explanation put the focus on how a defender finishes a tackle after reaching the quarterback.
Chop Robinson just annihilated Patrick Mahomes omg pic.twitter.com/fQ1B1vwfey
— Dolphin Nation (@Dolphin_Nation) September 27, 2026
Why Robinson’s hands became part of the debate
CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore focused on Robinson’s weight coming down on Mahomes despite the defender extending his hands.
The NFL’s 2026 rulebook addresses that situation in Rule 12, Section 2, Article 11. It prohibits a defender from landing on a passer with the bulk of his weight and directs the tackler to try to fall beside the quarterback or use his arms to cushion the landing.
That distinction matters to Robinson’s explanation. Extending the hands can be part of an attempt to protect the passer, but the rule also concerns where the defender’s weight goes when the players reach the ground.
Steratore’s explanation centered on the landing, while Robinson emphasized the technique he had tried to use.
Another Dolphins flag also affected the play
The roughing call was not the only penalty against Miami on the snap. There was a defensive holding flag on Zach Sieler as well.
Although the Chiefs still would’ve had a 1st down on another flag, Chop Robinson did everything he could to make it a clean hit on Mahomes and I don’t believe there should’ve been a roughing the passer flag. https://t.co/N0MJ5NkgRv
— Jason Sarney – Dolphins Wire (@Jason_Sarney) September 27, 2026
The additional flag would still have given Kansas City a first down. That makes it misleading to attribute the continuation of the possession solely to Robinson’s penalty.
Robinson was back in action after clearing concussion protocol earlier in the week. His postgame comments addressed a different challenge in his return: executing the finish of a quarterback hit in a way that satisfies the league’s protections for passers.
