This article answers a single, specific question: who refused to shake Patrick Mahomes' hand at midfield? It uses contemporaneous reporting and official game listings to place the exchange in context and explain how media and fans treated the clip. The focus is factual: identify the player, confirm the timing and location, and show how to verify similar viral sports moments using primary sources and reputable recaps.

Derwin James Jr. declined Patrick Mahomes' handshake before the Oct 20, 2024 coin toss, a detail confirmed by same-day coverage.

Video of the exchange circulated widely and was framed by outlets as a brief pregame storyline rather than a disciplinary case.

By 2026 the moment is generally viewed as a minor rivalry flashpoint with no reported league action.

chiefs chargers predictions: quick answer, who refused to shake Mahomes' hand?

The player who declined Patrick Mahomes' outstretched hand at midfield was Los Angeles Chargers safety and captain Derwin James Jr., in a pregame moment before the Chiefs-Chargers matchup on October 20, 2024 at SoFi Stadium, a detail confirmed in contemporaneous game listings and coverage USA Today For The Win.

Video of Mahomes offering a handshake and James not reciprocating circulated widely the same day, establishing the basic facts that shaped subsequent reporting CBS Sports (see clip on YouTube).

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The short, sourced answer above gives readers the who, when, and where so the rest of this article can focus on timeline, coverage, and how to verify similar clips. (see our blog Funded Plays blog)

What happened at the coin toss, a short timeline

Pregame activity flowed as usual on October 20, 2024, with captains and quarterbacks meeting at midfield for the coin toss ahead of the Week 7 Chiefs at Chargers game, context confirmed by the official game center and recaps NFL.com game center.

In the moments immediately before the coin toss, Patrick Mahomes stepped forward and extended his hand; Derwin James Jr., acting as a Chargers captain, did not take the offered handshake and instead left the gesture unrewarded, a sequence captured on video and reported the same day CBS Sports.

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Mahomes' body language in the clip - a casual shrug after the non-reciprocation - was visible to TV cameras and included in short-form highlights that helped the moment spread quickly on social platforms Sports Illustrated and in NFL highlights on NFL.com.

Immediate reactions in the stadium and on social feeds focused on the simplicity of the exchange: an offered handshake, a declined response, and a brief visual reaction, rather than any extended on-field confrontation, as described in contemporary coverage ESPN game recap.

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Major outlets ran short, sourced pieces that emphasized the clip's visual details - who moved, who did not, and how Mahomes reacted - with coverage appearing across USA Today For The Win, CBS Sports, and Sports Illustrated on the day of the game USA Today For The Win.

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For a full, sourced timeline of the exchange and how it was reported, read the timeline and verification steps earlier in this article.

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Outlets framed the episode as a compact pregame storyline and pointed readers to the video clip itself rather than treating it as a formal rules dispute, which shaped the initial tone of reaction pieces CBS Sports.

Coverage tended to emphasize body language and the brevity of the interaction, noting Mahomes' visible shrug as a notable detail that likely helped the clip's viral traction Sports Illustrated.

Did the NFL require a handshake? Rules and immediate fallout

No league discipline followed the incident, and reporting at the time characterized the moment as gamesmanship rather than a rules violation that would trigger formal action, a point reiterated by reporting and commentary after the game ProFootballTalk.

Media summaries made clear that a declined handshake at the coin toss did not translate into fines or official penalties in this instance, and that league procedures did not treat the exchange as a disciplinary matter requiring follow-up CBS Sports.

Readers should note that coin-toss customs are largely ceremonial, and while teams and commentators may critique gestures, the public reporting after this game shows no indication of league intervention ProFootballTalk.

Derwin James Jr. - who he is and why this moment made headlines

Derwin James Jr. was a starting safety and one of the Chargers' designated team captains at the time of the October 20, 2024 game, which is why his pregame actions attracted attention in coverage that named him directly USA Today For The Win.

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Because captains traditionally participate in the coin toss, gestures by those players tend to be noticed more than similar exchanges between non-captains; contemporary recaps and game listings note James' captain status as part of the factual frame for the clip ESPN game recap.

This article does not speculate about James' motives; reporting focused on the visible action and offered no verified, publicly reported private conversations to explain the gesture.

Mahomes is seen on the clip extending his hand and then reacting with a visible shrug after the non-reciprocation; coverage highlighted that body language and largely interpreted it as a brief, nonescalatory reaction Sports Illustrated.

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Commentary in the immediate aftermath described Mahomes' response as casual rather than confrontational, a framing that contributed to the overall media tone that treated the exchange as gamesmanship ProFootballTalk.

How fans and pundits treated the clip - short-term vs long-term impact

Fans on social media and many pundits reacted quickly, sharing and debating the clip in the hours after the game; that surge of attention is typical for visually simple, easily shared moments that touch on rivalry narratives CBS Sports and for team channels and highlight reels such as those hosted by the Chargers on Chargers.com.

Who refused to shake Mahomes' hand?

Derwin James Jr. declined Patrick Mahomes' handshake before the October 20, 2024 coin toss; the clip circulated widely and was reported as a brief pregame gamesmanship moment without league discipline.

By 2026, the episode is mostly remembered as a brief flashpoint in the Chiefs-Chargers rivalry rather than an episode that changed locker-room dynamics or league policy, according to retrospective coverage and the absence of follow-up reporting on discipline NFL.com game center.

Reporting did not include any verified public account of private conversations between the players that would change the public narrative, and that absence of additional detail is consistent with how many viral pregame moments are handled in media follow-ups Sports Illustrated.

How to interpret pregame gestures: gamesmanship versus disrespect

Pregame gestures can be interpreted in multiple ways, but journalists and team spokespeople often treat brief exchanges as competitive gamesmanship unless verified evidence suggests personal animus; analysts cited the Mahomes-James clip as an example of this pattern ProFootballTalk.

To avoid leaping to conclusions, check the original video, look for contemporaneous reports, and use official game listings or recaps to confirm when and where the interaction occurred, steps that good reporting follows in this case NFL.com game center.

Common misreports and how to avoid them

Typical inaccuracies with viral sports clips include wrong dates, misidentified players, or conflating separate pregame moments with in-game incidents; for the Mahomes-James clip, contemporaneous coverage anchored the moment to October 20, 2024 to avoid such mistakes USA Today For The Win.

A short verification checklist helps prevent misreports: confirm the clip timestamp, confirm player IDs from reputable outlets, and cross-check with the official game recap to ensure the clip aligns with the reported matchup ESPN game recap (see our verification guide how Funded Plays evaluations work).

Other notable pregame snubs and comparisons

Across professional sports, handshake refusals and similar pregame gestures occasionally draw media attention; while outcomes vary, many such moments generate short-term headlines without formal consequences, a pattern that matches the Mahomes-James exchange.

Comparisons help show range: some pregame spats escalate into public back-and-forth, while others are quickly absorbed into routine rivalry narratives and fade from coverage, demonstrating the varied media lifecycle for such clips.

Why this matters for the Chiefs-Chargers rivalry

The Mahomes-James exchange fed into an existing rivalry narrative between two competitive AFC West teams, giving fans a concrete visual moment to discuss ahead of the contest and in postgame conversation, which coverage from official recaps and game centers placed squarely in the context of the Week 7 matchup ESPN game recap.

While the clip added short-term intensity to the rivalry conversation, reporting indicates it did not create sustained friction that altered subsequent meetings or official relations between the teams NFL.com game center.

What we still do not know - limits of public reporting

Public sources do not provide verified accounts of any private conversations between the players that might give fuller context for the gesture, and reporters noted that absence in follow-up pieces that focused strictly on the visible action USA Today For The Win.

Many viral moments lack a fully documented backstory, and responsible readers should treat speculation about intent cautiously unless corroborated by direct quotes or verified reporting.

How to cite and verify viral sports clips, a quick checklist

Step 1: Find the original clip and note the on-screen timestamp or broadcast overlay, then compare that time to the official game center to confirm the play or pregame moment occurred when reported NFL.com game center.

Step 2: Cross-reference reputable outlets that covered the clip, such as national sports news sites or the official game recap, to confirm player IDs and the basic chronology before amplifying the clip further ESPN game recap or our guide how Funded Plays evaluations work.

Step 3: Note whether league sources, team statements, or credible analysts reported follow-up action; when no discipline or official statement appears in trusted coverage, treat the incident as a short-term storyline rather than a league matter ProFootballTalk.

Takeaway: the handshake moment in context

Derwin James Jr. did not shake Patrick Mahomes' hand before the October 20, 2024 coin toss at SoFi Stadium, and a short video of the exchange circulated widely the same day, establishing the direct facts of the moment USA Today For The Win. (more at Funded Plays)

Reporting indicates no league discipline followed, and the exchange is generally understood as a minor rivalry flashpoint and an example of pregame gamesmanship rather than a formal rules issue ProFootballTalk.

Who declined Patrick Mahomes' handshake?

Derwin James Jr., the Los Angeles Chargers safety and captain at the time, did not shake Patrick Mahomes' hand before the Oct 20, 2024 coin toss.

Did the NFL discipline anyone for the handshake incident?

No, reporting showed there was no league discipline related to the pregame handshake exchange.

Where can I verify the timing of the clip?

Check the original video timestamp and cross-reference the official game center and recaps from major outlets to confirm the date and context.

If you want to check the clip yourself, start with the original video, then cross-reference the official game center and major outlet recaps used here. Treat brief pregame moments as part of rivalry narratives unless verified reporting documents a different context. Balanced verification helps readers separate short-term media attention from substantiated developments.