Following the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl defeat, quarterback Patrick Mahomes made his way along the bench, acknowledging his teammates with high-fives and hugs. A brief interaction, or rather lack thereof, with running back Samaje Perine caught the attention of some observers, leading to speculation about a potential snub.

Video circulating online showed Mahomes greeting several offensive players, including JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown, and Isiah Pacheco, before sharing a lengthy embrace with Travis Kelce. Perine, positioned next on the bench, stood up as Mahomes approached, but the quarterback continued past him to Kelce.

Social media commentary quickly erupted, with many questioning Mahomes' leadership and suggesting he intentionally overlooked Perine. However, Perine himself addressed the situation directly, clarifying the perceived slight.

In a comment on an Instagram post highlighting the video, Perine explained that he had merely stood up to adjust his pants and that there was no ill will involved. "Lol I actually stood up to untie my pants string, no one blamed anybody," Perine wrote. "It’s not that deep."

Primarily utilized as a pass-catching back, Perine played a valuable role for the Chiefs during the regular season, accumulating 28 receptions for 322 yards and one touchdown, in addition to 92 rushing yards and another score. His crucial catch from Mahomes in the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills sealed the Chiefs' victory and propelled them to their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.

In the Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Perine saw limited action, recording just one carry for eight yards.

The defeat prevented the Chiefs from achieving a historic three-peat, while marking the Eagles' second Super Bowl victory, following their triumph in 2018.