KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Left tackle Eric Fisher sat at his locker for several moments after Sunday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers without moving, his head in his hands. He was in that place where an offensive lineman never wants to be: in the headlines.

Fisher was penalized for holding against linebacker James Harrison on the Kansas City Chiefs’ otherwise successful two-point conversion that would have allowed his team to tie the Steelers late in the fourth quarter of their divisional round playoff game.

The play was just one of many that, had they gone a different way, could have turned the Chiefs' 18-16 loss into a victory that would have allowed them to advance to next Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.

But this one was their last one. After a second two-point try failed, the Chiefs never got the ball back. The Steelers ran out the clock after receiving the kickoff, and for the Chiefs that was the end of another season that to them ended before its rightful time.

So Fisher was taking it hard. He pulled himself together to shower and dress but was one of the last players to leave the Chiefs’ locker room.

"As much as I want to sit here right now and apologize to my teammates, I don’t think they want that," Fisher said.

His teammates also focused on the play, directing their anger at the officials instead of Fisher. Tight end Travis Kelce launched a profanity-laced tirade at referee Carl Cheffers, though he paused at one point to mention his support for Fisher.

Eric Fisher allowed a sack to James Harrison and, later, committed a crucial holding penalty. Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports

"That wasn’t a hold on my guy Eric Fisher," Kelce said. "I hope [Fisher] doesn’t go the entire offseason thinking it was his fault. That was horse s---, flat out."

Quarterback Alex Smith felt the same way, though he used cleaner language.

"Bummed for him," Smith said. "I looked up and saw it on the Jumbotron. I’ve seen a lot worse not get called."

Fisher no doubt appreciated the support, but it didn’t make him feel much better. After four NFL seasons he hasn’t played like the overall No. 1 pick in the draft that he was in 2013.

He was closer than ever this year but still not the lights-out protector of Smith’s blind side that the Chiefs hoped he would be by this point. Sunday night’s game didn’t help, even before the penalty. He allowed a sack to Harrison earlier in the game.

But the penalty hurt the Chiefs even worse. When they failed to convert afterward -- Smith’s pass for Jeremy Maclin from the 12-yard line was incomplete -- the penalty became the signature play of Fisher’s game and career.

"He didn’t think it was a holding [penalty]," right tackle Mitchell Schwartz said. "As a lineman, that’s the worst thing you can do, take a positive play and send it back."

The penalty looked legitimate as Fisher had his arm hooked around Harrison, whether it was intended or not. Even though the Chiefs had several earlier opportunities to turn the game in their favor, this was the last one. When they didn’t make it, the Chiefs were abruptly hurled into the offseason.

All of the Chiefs will take that hard, especially Fisher.

"That’s not up to me," Fisher said when asked whether he was rightfully penalized, though his next sentence seemed to clear up the matter. "Obviously, I’m frustrated with the call. With the game on the line for me to let the team down, it’s going to be a hard one to let go."