KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After having a chance to see the video of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell's hit to the back of his knees, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith called the shot from Sunday's game between the teams "about as flagrant as it gets."

"I felt like it was extremely late," Smith said. "I felt there was nothing done there to avoid contact. It was really low from the backside. I thought it was about as flagrant as it gets when it comes to a low hit on the quarterback."

"I think when you start looking at ... repeat offenders, I think when they get shots at quarterbacks, they're going to take them."

Mitchell was penalized for roughing the passer for hitting Smith after he threw a pass late in the third quarter of Sunday's 19-13 Steelers victory. Smith was immediately angry about the hit, getting up and yelling at Mitchell.

After the game Sunday, Smith said he was "fired up" after Mitchell's hit but wasn't able to say whether he thought it was intentional because he hadn't yet had a chance to watch video of the play.

Mitchell has twice been fined by the NFL for unnecessary roughness and could be fined for his hit on Smith.

"I don't think this is a first offense, either," Smith said of Mitchell. "I think when you start looking at ... repeat offenders, I think when they get shots at quarterbacks, they're going to take them."

On Monday, Mitchell said from Pittsburgh that he tripped and then was shoved by a teammate before hitting Smith.

"I'm not a dirty player," Mitchell said.

Mitchell got a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer.

"The video shows what it shows. I wasn't trying to take Alex Smith's knees out," Mitchell said. "I went up to him and told him that. ... It's just one of those things you don't want to see in the football game."