Getty Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
More than a month after the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, star tight end Travis Kelce has finally broken his silence. As a guest on The Pat McAfee show, the 31-year-old revealed his initial thoughts when it officially sunk in that Kansas City were not back-to-back champions on February 7.
“I say it like this: ‘You ever just wake up on Sunday and got your ass beat by a bunch of guys you never thought you’d get your ass beat by? That’s exactly what just happened. I mean — we never thought that was going to happen. I don’t think the score of that game is true to who we are and where we rank in terms of being a great team and being as good as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was just kind of the situation is what it is, and we have to live with that, we have to try and get better because of it. That’s all we can take from it.”
During the final contest of the 2020 season, Kelce was targeted 15 times for 10 catches and 133 yards. Andy Reid’s men failed to score a touchdown in the 31-9 blowout loss.
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With that in the past, there’s only one thing on the 8-year veteran’s mind heading into the 2021 season: a rematch against Tom Brady and company.
“Right now is it is what it is… in my mind, hopefully, we’re there next year and Tampa Bay’s there next year so that we can go ahead and go after it again. That’s all that’s really ingrained in my heart right now — work your tail off, and get back there next year because what we just put on display, I don’t think that’s our best effort.”
No. 87 on No. 15: ‘It’s Ingrained in Him To Compete’
There’s no denying that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Kelce are both fierce competitors. According to the latter, the former was ‘more motivated than anybody’ to bring home a second championship in three years for the defending AFC champions.
“Every time he puts the helmet on, it’s just who he is — it’s ingrained in him to compete, to put everything out there on the line, every single time,” Kelce emphasized. “Pat’s a special guy in terms of that, man, and you know what? It doesn’t sit right that we all went out there and had a game that wasn’t our best game, and I know if anybody’s motivated, 1-5 is more motivated than anybody in the world to get back out there and try and get another Super Bowl and get to another Super Bowl — the third one in a row, man.”
It’s safe to say the rest of the league is officially on notice heading into the redemption campaign.
Kelce Follows Mahomes’ Lead on Contract Restructuring
Just like Mahomes, Kelce is reportedly in the process of restructuring his massive contract in order to create more immediate cap space so Kansas City can sign fresh talent. On Wednesday afternoon, Mahomes had a cheeky response for his colleague in a tweet acknowledging his decision to “be a hero of Chiefs Nation.”
What a guy, indeed.
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