Two incredible things happened on Thursday night in the NFL season opener this year.
The Detroit Lions marched into Arrowhead and upset the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, a feat that was truly incredibly to watch.
One of the reasons the upset happened was thanks to a Donovan Smith holding penalty that wiped out a clutch play that could have helped swing things in the Chiefs favor. This was also incredible to watch, but in an entirely different way.
With under 2:30 minutes left in a 21-20 game, it appeared Patrick Mahomes was on the verge of orchestrating another signature comeback win. He hit Skyy Moore for a first down that would have moved the chains and kept the Chiefs moving downfield toward either a potential game-winning field goal or a touchdown.
The first down was wiped out, though, thanks to refs flagging Donovan Smith for holding. Rather than moving the ball down field, the Chiefs were faced with a 3rd and 20 that soon turned into the Lions getting the ball back and ending the game.
Donovan Smith called for a holding penalty that wiped out a clutch first down the Chiefs needed. pic.twitter.com/ukqfDs5ddL
— The Pewter Plank (@ThePewterPlank) September 8, 2023
You can't make this stuff up.
Smith was one of the most penalized players in football last year, and it was one of the major factors that held the Bucs offense back. Much like the Chiefs loss on Thursday, Smith wasn't the only problem but he became one at the absolute worst possible moment.
Buccaneers fans roast Donovan Smith after crucial drive-killing penalty
To be fair to Smith, his holding penalty wasn’t the only thing that went wrong for the Chiefs nor was it the sole reason they lost the season opener. Smith might have been guilty of a hold, but Kadarius Toney’s hands turned into stone and none of the other Chiefs receivers seemed to remember how to catch a football.
That being said, the fact that Smith was right back to killing drives like he did all last season for the Bucs was something fans in Tampa Bay couldn’t resist joking about.
a game changing donovan smith hold pic.twitter.com/Uodi8Bljio
— chris✌🏼 (@sonohedman) September 8, 2023
All @Buccaneers fans when they finally called a holding on Donovan Smith. pic.twitter.com/pZsMJ73LfS
— ZACH JOHNSON (@BucsBy30) September 8, 2023
Critical drive 🤝 Donovan Smith hold
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) September 8, 2023
Sabotaging your new team in a do-or-die situation with an egregious hold is so on brand for you, Donovan Smith. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/Oxg0X0PTi4
— Ashlie #PAYM1K3 (@EMT_Ashlie) September 8, 2023
Death, taxes, and Donovan Smith doing something illegal on the biggest play of the game. I know your pain Chiefs fans. Every fuckin week…
— Spurs Legacy (@spurs_four) September 8, 2023
There's the ol' Donovan Smith we know and love.
— JoeBucsFan (@JoeBucsFan) September 8, 2023
Smith seemed to be having an otherwise great preseason with the Chiefs after such an ugly end to his career in Tampa Bay. Kansas City signed him in free agency to replace Orlando Brown Jr., and while it wasn't a huge upgrade on paper it felt like the sort of opportunity that would allow Smith to redeem himself and remind everyone of how good he can be.
That didn't happen on Thursday night, though.