Getty Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at Lambeau Field on December 03, 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs took a frustrating 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football on December 3. During the defeat, tight end Travis Kelce showed class.
Early in the second quarter, Packers rookie Tucker Kraft caught a pass for a first down and was tackled hard into the Chiefs’ sidelines. Seeing his opponent on the ground, Kelce reached out his hand to help pick Kraft up from the ground.
NBC’s broadcast captured this moment. A video of Kelce, 34, assisting the 24-year-old tight end quickly went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter.
respect for Travis Kelce just went up through the roof
Fans and analysts for both teams loved the sportsmanship on display. One fan posted, “Travis Kelce helping up Tucker Kraft after the catch. Classy.” Another posted, “Travis Kelce just helped Tucker Kraft up with what I would call Tight End camaraderie.🏈💛.”
Making the sideline moment even more special: knowing how much Kraft, the Packers’ third-round pick from the 2023 NFL draft, admires Kelce. 24/7 Sports’ Daire Carragher wrote, “I know the little kid inside Tucker Kraft was like holy s*** when Kelce helped him up on the sideline.”
Heading into the Week 13 matchup, Kraft gushed over attending “Tight End University” this offseason and meeting his idol by chance in the elevator. “Me, rookie from small-town South Dakota, I’m like, ‘Oh (shoot), you’re Travis Kelce,'” Kraft said. “I thought that was pretty cool. My first time ever meeting him, dapping him up in an elevator, it was awesome.”
Kraft said of the summit’s co-creator, “He’s really, really great at finding space. He’s just a natural. He moves really well, he does good things with the ball in his hands after the catch, I mean, I could go on and on. He’s eventually going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
Knowing Kelce was also a third-round pick, Kraft hopes to emulate his success. “How I was saying Travis has developed his abilities so well by doing it thousands of times – the repetition also breeds confidence. Just getting a chance to rep something over and over and over again, and then knowing your rules that apply to that play, it builds confidence in your ability to execute.”
Travis Kelce Refused to Blame the Refs for Kansas City’s Loss to Green Bay
Kelce caught 4-of-5 targets for 81 yards against the Packers, but it wasn’t enough to get the Chiefs the win. While the referee’s calls in the last minute of the game were atrocious, the veteran didn’t blame Kansas City’s loss on the questionable officiating.
“I ain’t gonna blame this on anyone but ourselves, man,” Kelce told reporters after the loss.
As for what went wrong, “That’s a good football team,” Kelce answered. “And they executed better than us. And that’s the bottom line. We’ve just got to keep rallying together and just fighting and growing together.”
While the Chiefs were 4-0 when Taylor Swift, Kelce’s girlfriend, was in attendance, that win streak came to an end in Green Bay.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Regrets Not Targeting Travis Kelce in the 4th Quarter
Patrick Mahomes gets PICKED OFF 😮
(via @NFL)
Once again, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ receivers were inconsistent. The play calling from Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy also played a factor.
Mahomes, who completed 21-of-33 passes for 210 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, didn’t target Kelce once in the fourth quarter.
“There’s a couple of them I wish I would’ve (given) him a chance,” Mahomes told reporters after the game. “I went to other spots and didn’t hit the guys on the throws I did try to make. When you get to those big moments, you want to give your best guys chances to make plays.”
Only five of Mahomes’ 15 throws were caught in the fourth quarter. A pass intended for wide receiver Skyy Moore was intercepted by Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon. While Moore unexpectedly slowed down, which cleared the path for Nixon to make a pick, the reigning Super Bowl MVP took responsibility for the interception.
“I probably should’ve tried to back-shoulder Skyy,” he said. “That’s a mistake on my part that you can’t make in that situation.”
The Chiefs (8-4) will try to get back in the win column when they face the Buffalo Bills (6-6) in Week 14.