Aidan O’Connell responded stylishly to the Raiders’ Game-Ending Fumbled Snap vs. Chiefs

Aidan O’Connell still has a lot to prove in his young NFL career, but he certainly looked the part of a franchise quarterback Friday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

And that’s how he sounded after the Las Vegas Raiders suffered a heartbreaking 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

O’Connell was about to set up a potential game-winning field goal attempt for Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson when disaster struck. Las Vegas rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson, who shifted to center earlier this month, snapped the ball too early on a third-down play. The football glanced off O’Connell’s shoulder for a fumble and the Chiefs recovered it to secure their 11th win.

As any smart veteran quarterback would do, O’Connell took full responsibility for the failed shot during his post-game press conference.

“It’s completely my fault,” O’Connell said. “I looked to my right to make sure the boys were in place, and I started clapping. In my head I was thinking about signaling for the ball to get the ball, but when I start clapping , it basically tells Jackson to snap the ball.

“Jackson did exactly what he should have done. I clapped too early. That’s just how football bounces sometimes; it didn’t go our way. Super tough, but I can’t really blame anyone for it but myself. That’s probably the hardest part to do.” swallow.”

Powers-Johnson also took the blame after the game.

“We didn’t fall short,” Powers-Johnson said, according to Tashan ReedThe Athletics. “I came up short.”

The Raiders, now 2-10, will be high in the 2025 NFL draft and could select a young quarterback talent in the first round. But O’Connell, who threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing against the Chiefs, turned in a performance both on and off the field Friday that showed flashes of his potential to lead a franchise .