Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to re-join Kansas City Chiefs after brother’s death
Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is on his way back to Kansas City to re-join the Chiefs ahead of a mid-week trip to Los Angeles to play the Chargers.
Sneed missed Sunday’s win against the Raiders after the death of his oldest brother, T’Qarontarion “TQ” Harrison, who was stabbed and killed in their hometown of Minden, Louisiana. A woman has been charged in Harrison’s death.
“I’ve had a chance to talk to him here a little bit over the last few days. Obviously he’s hurting from the situation — he was very close to his brother,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But he’s on his way back, and I think it will be good for him to be around his teammates. They care a lot about him. I think that will help him.”
Sneed learned of the news early Saturday morning and traveled back to Minden later that afternoon to be with family, where he stayed through Sunday’s game. He had a unique bond with Harrison, who helped raise Sneed until he turned 6.
Sneed has remained in touch with Chiefs teammates, particularly over the past 48 hours.
“He actually texted me. He told me he loved me. For me, that was really all I needed to hear,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “Obviously I think he’s dealing with a lot right now, but football means a lot to him. It means a lot to his family. I feel like, in my opinion, with the things that I went through, I think he has some motivation going forward.”
Before the Chiefs’ win against the Raiders, Mathieu told teammates to “play for L’Jarius,” a message several re-iterated after the game.
“Such a tragic situation for him. And as a brotherhood and as an organization and a team, we’re going to support our brothers,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said after the win. “I thought guys played hard for him today — we got the win. I’m just praying for him and his family. It’s a tough deal. We want him to be in a good spot as a person before anything on the football field.”
This story was originally published December 14, 2021 at 12:57 PM.