Taylor Alert – Young Chiefs fan’s MOM backs Raiders star Jack Jones over ‘Grinch’ row after he appeared to taunt her son by snatching a touchdown ball away from him – only to claim an adult supporter tried to grab the ball instead

The mother of the Chiefs fan who appeared to be taunted with a touchdown ball by Raiders star Jack Jones on Christmas Day has backed the NFL player’s version of events that he took the ball back when an adult tried to take it instead.

During their Christmas Day showdown against the Chiefs, the Raiders cornerback got a pick-six from Patrick Mahomes and returned for a 33 yard touchdown. After helping Las Vegas get a 17-7 lead, Jones jogged down to the stands to hand the ball to a young Chiefs fan. 

However, Jones appeared to have taunted the kid by pulling the ball away before he could reach it. The moment went viral as fans slammed Jones for the act, calling him the Grinch.

But Jones later took to X and defended himself as he said: ‘I didn’t snatch the ball from the kid. It was from that blac [sic] dude who tried to take it watch it again lollipop.’

And now, the child’s mom Tessa has tried to clarify matters once and for all with a post of her own on Facebook.

Jack Jones was called ‘The Grinch’ for appearing to take a football away from a young fan

‘Story time!’ she wrote. ‘Yesterday, my 11 year old went crazy viral. Like 30 million views viral, for being on the receiving end of an NFL grinch. But the headlines are wrong – there’s more to the story. The real grinch here is the one who vilified a player whose heart was actually in the Christmas spirit.

‘We flew home to KC to spend Christmas with my parents and were able to get front row seats to The Kansas City Chiefs game well below cost, courtesy of long-time season ticket holders who know and love my sweet kids.

‘It was their first NFL game, my second. If you know Logan, you know he’s an absolute sports fanatic and a die-hard Chiefs fan. And if you know Lucy, you know there are few things she loves more than the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift (and you know this mama tried so hard to get tickets but failed and can’t afford secondary). 

‘Consequently, going to the game with my dad was the perfect gift – hopefully a Taylor spotting and lots of football. Lucy made it onto CBS with her ‘Go Taylor’s boyfriend’ sign, and Logan? Well, he became ‘Twitter famous.’

‘When the Las Vegas Raiders Jack Jones intercepted a Mahomes’ pass for a pick 6, Jones looked at the fans lining the end zone and made eye contact with Logan. Jones was grinning at him as he jogged up – he went out of his way to find a kid.

‘As a mom, all I could do was smile. You forget about the rivalry in that moment. You forget about the Raider Hater chants you grew up with. You even forget that your beloved Chiefs are losing and the opposing team just scored on a turnover. All you see is the moment through your kid’s eyes: This is going to mean the world to him.

‘And it would have. The video circulated like wildfire. Sports Illustrated ESPN FanDuel Fox News Barstool Sports The Kansas City Star – literally hundreds of outlets, and some, with the best clickbait headline of all time: ‘Raiders Jack Jones goes full grinch on child.’

‘But if you watch the video, what you don’t see is the dude behind me who is literally on my back trying to snatch the ball. You don’t see the other Chiefs fans screaming at the players that they suck. 

Jones took the ball away as a fan reached over the top of the kid and tried to grab the ball 

The Chiefs later have the young fan a signed ball from Kansas City linebacker Willie Gay 

‘You don’t see the Raiders players taunting the fans (and the one who flipped off the crowd, which my 12-year-old daughter pointed out). Jones tried to give Logan the ball and pulled it back when the guy behind me started swatting and cursing. Logan was, of course, devastated. 

‘I was, of course, so bummed for him, and beyond annoyed that an adult ruined this moment (sidenote: the ‘old dude’ people referred to on Twitter next to Logan who was also trying to take the ball was my dad who was 100% trying to help). And, to add insult to injury, this whole event spilled Logan’s hot chocolate I had just got him – a special treat (who spends $10 on hot chocolate?!? #christmas) – all over him. Poor kid.

‘Anyway, Chiefs definitely tried to make it right in the 3rd quarter – they saw the incident on Twitter and brought him an autographed ball by Willie Gay. So awesome. And at the same time, that moment will never be replaced – the gift that was and then wasn’t and then the aftermath of seeing the thousands of insults to him on Twitter (spoiled kid with front row seats, dumb kid, etc.). If you knew Logan, you’d know he’s an awesome, grateful, empathetic and hilarious kid who just really loves sports.

‘It’s a good lesson for all of us – there’s always more to the story or another angle you can look at, and give people the benefit of the doubt unless you have a front row seat to their intentions. As adults, we should all do better for our next generation of sports fans and humans.

‘Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. And, Clark Hunt, if you’re reading this, Taylor Swift tickets for Lucy to Indy (my brother lives there so we’d have a place to stay) and a signed Travis Kelce jersey for Logan would really make it better. (Totally kidding… but 30 million views… you have to ask, right)?’ 

Tessa also shared pictures from the family’s day, including one of her son holding his signed Chiefs ball.